The cornerstone for Utilitas’ Saarde wind farm is laid

Estonia’s most modern wind farm, which will start generating electricity in the summer of 2023 in the municipality of Saarde in Pärnu County, received its cornerstone today. Utilitas Saarde wind farm will have nine wind turbines and an expected annual production of 135 GWh, making it the most productive wind farm in Estonia.

“The current energy crisis has starkly demonstrated the consequences of delaying the establishment of renewable energy sources and the green turnaround. It is necessary to rapidly add new generation capacity that will bring both security and independence of energy supply and reasonable electricity prices. The construction of wind power capacity, both onshore and offshore, will help us achieve these goals most quickly. Estonia has excellent wind conditions, and we need to make the most of this natural resource,” said Priit Koit, head of the Utilitas energy group.

The wind farm will be equipped with nine Vestas V150 wind turbines, the most modern and efficient wind turbines installed in Estonia so far. One wind turbine generator has a capacity of 4.3 MW. “Compared to ten years ago, wind turbine technology has advanced rapidly. Thanks to more powerful wind turbines, substantially more energy can now be produced with fewer wind turbines,” explained Koit.

“The Saarde wind farm is the beginning of establishing modern renewable energy capacities in Estonia, and as the developer, Utilitas has been determined and patient in dealing with the state. In order to produce more local, affordable and environmentally friendly electricity, the state needs to make strategic choices, speed up procedures and build grid connections. The target has been set: to produce at least as much renewable electricity as Estonia consumes in a year by 2030. To meet this target, we have also initiated the necessary legislative changes,” said Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure Riina Sikkut, who attended the laying of the corner stone of the Saarde wind farm.

With nine wind turbines, the Saarde wind farm has a total capacity of 39 MW and a planned annual production of 135 GWh, making it the largest wind farm in Estonia. The output of the wind farm will cover the annual electricity consumption needs of more than 40 000 households.

Installation of the wind turbines is scheduled to start in spring 2023 and the wind farm will start generating electricity in summer 2023. The wind turbines will be installed in the south-eastern part of Saarde parish, the nearest wind turbine being more than 10 km from Kilingi-Nõmme and more than 5 km from Tihemetsa.

Nordecon Betoon, Verston and Connecto will carry out the construction works and Elering will build a new substation for the wind farm. Several local subcontractors and suppliers will be involved in the construction. Utilitas is investing more than €60 million in the Saarde wind farm. The group owns two wind farms in Latvia with a total capacity of 79 MW and is developing new renewable energy generation capacity in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

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