Vestas Makes Entry into Latvian Wind Energy Market with 59 MW Project

Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has bagged a 59 MW order for the Targale wind project making its entrance into the Latvian wind energy market.

The wind turbine major has won this project from a special purpose company majority owned by Utilitas, the Estonian utility provider.

The Targale project, located in Ventspils municipality in western Latvia, will be powered by 14 V136-4.2 MW turbines at a hub height of 82m.

With only 65 MW of wind capacity currently installed in Latvia, this project is expected to nearly double the total installed capacity in the country. Vestas has also opened its first office in Latvia in April 2021.

Latvia has set a target to procure 50 per cent of its energy required from renewable energy sources by 2030.

Commenting on the project win, Nils de Baar, President of Vestas Northern & Central Europe, said “our first project with Utilitas also marks Vestas’ arrival in Latvia. We are positive about Latvia as a market and are delighted to be selected to provide turbines and long-term service at the Targale project. This project can be a bellwether for the Latvian wind industry, as the country advances its strong performance on clean energy towards 50% renewable energy penetration by 2030.”

As per the contract, Vestas will supply and install turbines, and will provide service for the project through a long-term 20-year Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000) service agreement, providing power performance certainty and it’s service throughout the lifetime of the project.

“We are delighted to partner with Vestas, the largest manufacturer of wind turbine generators, to build the wind park Targale together. The explicit technological innovations in terms of efficient and environmentally friendly energy production that Vestas provide will contribute greatly to the renewable energy sector in Latvia. I am convinced that their presence in the Baltics will even more support the wind energy development in the region,” said Rene Tammist, Development Manager, Utilitas.

Further, the company is planning to set up local service hub in Latvia next year, near Ventspils port.

Meanwhile, the turbine delivery to the Targale project likely to commence in Q2 of 2022, and commissioning will begin during Q3 2022.