On the heels of Turkey’s smart-grid connection to Europe, the country announces that it will host a new wind-turbine factory in the Western province.
News moves quickly in the blogosphere. Roughly two weeks ago we reported Turkey’s new “smart-grid” connection to Europe, which is expected to not only improve the country’s own renewable energy sector, but will allow it to boost its economy by exporting energy to Europe.
While Leviathan promotes miniature wind-turbines, and others are leasing their roof space for smaller-scale agricultural and renewable energy projects, Turkey will host a full-scale wind-turbine manufacturing plant in the western province of Balıkesir.
The project, which is a joint initiative between Turkey’s Faik Çelik Holding and Spain’s Gestamp Wind Steel, is expected to cost approximately 30 million Euros to build.
“According to a written statement from Faik Çelik Holding, the 47,000-square-meter factory in Bandırma’s organized industrial zone will be able to produce more than 450 wind turbines annually. The factory is expected to provide employment for 300 people and will start operating by the end of this year,” according to Hurriyet Daily News.
Once completed, most of the turbines will be exported to countries such as Romania, Bulgaria, and Greece, whose wind-energy market is showing reasonable signs of progress.
However, some of the turbines are expected to be used in Turkey in order to exploit that country’s strong wind resource.
Also according to the paper, the Spanish company has a substantial presence elsewhere in the world:
“Gestamp Wind Steel, a subsidiary of Gestamp, also has facilities producing wind turbines in Spain and Brazil. The company has investment projects in South America, India and China,” they wrote.
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Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
What a shame that you all would support 600 MW of wind energy without even giving your readers a clue of how environmentally destructive wind energy will be. Wind energy kills birds and wind energy kills bats. And how will local people who live in the path of this wind farm be treated by their government if they oppose it? Do the research. Wind energy kills wildlife and hurts people who live near wind farms.