Big energy group seeking wind plant sites
Finnish energy group ST1 is in talks to acquire sites along Finland's eastern and south-western coastal regions to fulfil its plans to build three or four wind farms by 2010. The company, which is one of Finland's biggest privately owned car fuels and home heating oil retailers with revenues of EUR 230 million in 2006, is keen to add a green electricity business to its group operations. "ST1's main goal is to continue to add value to our retail business, and offering customers electricity produced from our own wind plant is an excellent way to fulfil this goal," says the company's Juha Kokko. "We are well advanced with plans to build a wind plant near Pori. When completed it will comprise five 3 MW wind turbines." A 30 acre site has been acquired for the project at Tahkoluoto under a 40 year land lease agreement. If all goes to plan, the first turbine should be installed this summer with the remaining units completed late this year or early 2008. "We are also looking at other wind investments," adds Kokko. "Finding the best sites will be a priority and we are actively engaged in land purchases. We want to become a major supplier of green energy both here in Finland and also in Sweden."