“uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç

Installed wind capacity in the Czech Republic should reach 10 MW by the end of the year following the addition of four new wind farms to the around 6 MW now in the ground, reports Milan Miessler of Ekologicke Zdroje Energie in Prague. The two Czech manufacturers of wind turbines will be among suppliers to the projects. Energovars makes an EWT 315 kW and an EWT 630 kW while EKOV is to supply four of its 400 kW units. Other suppliers are German Ventis, which will contribute two 500 kW machines and Lagerwey in Holland which is selling its 80 kW model. Financing the projects remains problematic with banks only prepared to offer short term loans. Although a new Energy Act, introduced at the beginning of the year, requires utilities to buy power from non fossil sources it does not stipulate a fair purchase price nor make any provision for a levy on electricity prices to pay for renewables. As a result utilities are fighting shy of buying renewables power, says Miessler.