CEZ’s wind park, record production in 2017
Wind energy production achieved by CEZ’s wind farm in December could ensure green energy for the localities of Filiasi, Dabuleni, Calafat, Campulung and Curtea de Arges (according to data presented by the National Institute of Statistics at the end of 2016), i.e. over 46,000 homes, for one year. What does it mean? That Romania has all chances to reach its target assumed before the European Union for 2020, and all the houses of Romanians could use mainly green energy.
According to the National Institute of Statistics, electricity production realized by wind power plants in Romania had increased in late November 2017 by 13% compared to the similar period of 2016. CEZ’s wind farm alone – located in Constanta – reported at the end of 2017 a realized amount of over 1,323GWh, by 14% higher than in 2016, benefiting from an average wind force of 7.25m/s (when wind force drops below 3-4m/s or reaches 25m/s the wind turbine stops to protect its integrity). It is important to mention that although the wind farm includes 240 turbines of 2.5MW each, it reported a capacity factor of 25.18%. It means that of the 240 turbines, approximately 61 generated green energy.
Green month and record day
The green month, which recorded the largest amount of wind energy produced by CEZ’s farm, is December, with over 154GWh. This energy is sufficient to supply electricity for a year to approximately 46,000 homes.
However, it seems the green day is not necessarily part of December, because on 21 April CEZ’s wind farm reached its record in terms of green energy, with over 12GWh of green energy. It should be mentioned that during the interval 15:00-16:00 alone 567.87MWh were produced, when the average wind force was 14.67m/s, which means that company turned on the light in approximately 170 homes.
Why not all the 240 wind turbines are operational?
Electricity generated by a wind turbine of industrial utility is normally ‘collected’ and transported through the high voltage electric lines, resulting a mix of electricity also produced by conventional power plants, hydropower plants and other types of power plants.
A production that is too high (all 240 turbines operational) could lead to an overload of equipment capturing and distributing the produced electricity.
If the wind speed is too high or the extreme weather conditions require it, a decision can be made to diminish production to the level imposed by the National Energy Dispatch, according to procedures determined between the Dispatch Centre and the producers.
CEZ’s wind farm
• In 2016, CEZ Group produced in Romania approximately 11% of total renewable energy necessary for the Romanian state to fulfil the 20% target imposed under the European Directive 2009/28/EC.
• CEZ’s wind farm realized by the end of 2011 a total annual production of 620,000MWh – CEZ thus becoming the largest private energy producer in Romania.
• In October 2013 a record production, of 1.25TWh, was recorded in CEZ’s wind farms. The value became the reference from that moment.
• In April 2015, a new daily production record was recorded. 234 wind turbines operated at the full capacity of 2,500kW and generated 13,547MWh of green energy.
