Wind turns to gold in remote Romanian region FEATURE 08/10/2010

Wind turns to gold in remote Romanian region

FEATURE 08/10/2010 COGEALAC — Strong winds sweeping southeastern Romania have long been seen as a curse but as electricity companies are increasingly turning to renewable energy, the area has become a coveted asset. Romania’s decision to open up its wind-power market has triggered fierce competition among investors, several of whom target the Dobroudja region, described by experts as one of the best sites in Europe. In June, Czech company CEZ started operating its first wind energy unit in Romania, at Fantanele, 260 kilometers (170 miles) east of Bucharest. The 1.1-billion-euro ($1.45-billion) energy farm, expected to become the biggest in Europe next year, will have a capacity of 600 megawatts (MW). But CEZ’s plans to expand to the neighboring village of Cogealac have been hampered by Spanish energy giant Iberdrola, which has set its mind on the same site..... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100810com3.html

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