Italy moves closer to wind energy goals

Sept. 9, 2011

ESSEN, Germany, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- RWE Innogy announced it commissioned its third onshore wind farm in Italy, putting the government closer to its wind energy targets for 2020.

Italy aims to have 12 gigawatts of installed wind capacity by 2020. RWE Innogy, a division of Germany's RWE, announced that, after a year's worth of construction work, its third wind farm was commissioned in Italy.

The eight-turbine wind farm can produce 16 megawatts of energy, enough to meet the annual energy needs of 10,000 homes.

The wind farm is on a plateau 3,600 feet above sea level in the southern Italian region of Basilicata.

"Our aim is not only to compose a portfolio along technology lines but also geographically, for example in order to accommodate a wide range of weather conditions," Hans Bunting, chief financial officer with RWE Innogy, said in a statement.

Italy by the end of last year had 5.8 gigawatts of wind energy installed. The government by the end of this year plans to introduce a tariff system to promote renewable energy.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2011/09/09/Italy-moves-closer-to-wind-energy-goals/UPI-97191315568846/.