HYDRO OPENS THE WORLD’S MOST NORTHERLY WINDMILL PARK AT HAVØYGAVLEN
04 June 2003 - Hydro Aluminium

'This windpower project has been made possible by means of a creative collaboration between Norsk Hydro and the Dutch energy company Nuon, by combining sales of green certificates on the Dutch market and electrical power from Havøygavlen in Finnmark,' says Hydro Energy sector president, Hilde Myrberg. ' Green certificates represent the overall environmental value that can be ascribed to this type of power production and it is the sale of these certificates that have made this project financially attractive,' says Myrberg.

The windpower plant consists of 16 2.5 MW windmills, making the total installed effect of the park 40 MW. The windmills were supplied, installed and are run by Nordex, a Dano-German company using the latest windpower technology. Havøygavlen windmill park is situated in an area where wind conditions are excellent and the average wind speed is more than nine metres/second. Total investments amount to NOK 310 million. The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) has provided a NOK 65 million subsidy.

The company Arctic Wind A.S. owns the Havøygavlen windmill park. Nuon holds a 53.5% interest in this company, while Hydro has a 41.5% stake. The windpower park developer, Norsk Miljøkraft, has an ownership interest of 5%.

'This windpower project is the first for Norsk Miljøkraft and Hydro. Based on the experience gained from this project, and if market trends justify it, Hydro will consider the extensive development of windpower in Norway and other European countries,' says Myrberg. ' Hydro is now looking into the development of a windmill park on Harbaksfjell near Trondheim that can be completed by 2005. But this will depend on the project being granted a licence, and on the conditions imposed by the authorities in Norway being conducive to the development of new renewable energy,' says Myrberg.

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