4.2.2021 00:00

Renewed tender success in Italy

W.E.B project Ariano wins bid once again 

One year ago, W.E.B reported its success in winning the Italian tender for the wind power plant in Ariano with a total capacity of 84 MW. Now this project was once again awarded the contract. The underlying reason is W.E.B’s participation in a tender once again after the project could be optimised with more productive turbines. 

W.E.B-CEO Frank Dumeier explains how this came about. “Due to a new, COVID-19-related directive, it was possible for us to replace the planned turbine type to more high-performance turbines in a short time with very little expenditure involved in getting the required licenses. In this way, we were able to reduce the number of turbines from 20 to 15 while maintaining the total capacity of 84 MW. We once again took part in a tender with this optimised layout, because in Italy it is possible, in principle, to renounce a contract which has been awarded. That is why we are all the more pleased to have been successful in our renewed participation in the tender on the basis of an improved project.” 

Generally, it can be seen that measures are being taken in different countries to push ahead with the expansion of renewable energies. Reinhard Kainz, CEO of the Italian W.E.B subsidiary, comments: “The market for renewable energies is undergoing a significant transformation at the present time. In almost all countries, we are currently evolving from fixed, legally regulated pricing models most of the time in past years to the holding of tenders. Italy has also been pursuing this approach now for several years. For this reason, we find ourselves in tough competition with other market players. Even if, as a rule, the duration of the rates to be charged as specified in such auction models is 20 years, such a tender naturally puts tremendous pressure on profitability. That is why we are even happier now that we succeeded in enhancing both efficiency and profitability thanks to the new layout. As a result, we were able to sustainably strengthen our market position in Italy.” 

About the project

The wind farm is located in the town of Ariano Irpino in the Italian region of Campania, about 75 km as the crow flies from the city of Naples in southern Italy. With 15 wind turbines and a total capacity of 84 MW, the project represents the largest wind farm in the history of W.E.B up until now. Construction is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2021, so that the wind power plants will already be able to generate clean energy in 2022 if everything goes according to plan.