Senvion says it is fully committed to helping with climate change, and is taking its environmental responsibility a step further. The company will install a 3.6-MW wind turbine at its RiaBlades production facility in Portugal — ensuring the site is self-sustainable.
After considering different renewable energy solutions including solar panels, Senvion found that using the 3.6M140 EBC wind turbine with a rated power of 3.6 MW and a 140-m rotor diameter was the most competitive option to install at its largest blade factory.
RiaBlades in Vagos, Portugal is Senvion’s biggest plant in the world. After the extension and modernization works completed in 2017, the plant now occupies an area of 83,000 square-meters, and is capable of producing all of the company’s blade models, from 40 meters to 74 meters long. The modernization of the facility has made it possible to implement semi-automated manufacturing processes. This includes the stacking of the fiberglass layers and the sanding process of the blades before painting.
However, producing performing blades efficiently is not enough for Paulo Silva, Senior Vice President Global Blades at Senvion. “If we want the world to go green, we have to be part of the solution in more ways than one, we have to be an example. That’s why we decided to go with sustainable production and to install a wind turbine at the blade factory, to feed its energy to the production site making it energy independent and self-sustainable.”
Senvion will be the first company in Portugal with its own wind-energy plant, and RiaBlades will be the first site within the Senvion group to achieve this milestone. After considering different renewable energy solutions, the company found that using the Senvion 3.6M140 EBC was the most competitive option.
According to the estimations, the energy production of the turbine will ensure enough output for most of the plant’s activities. Construction is set to start at the company’s Vagos site.
“Foundation work is expected to begin in May 2018, and the commissioning of the turbine is planned for the end of September 2018,” said Paulo Moreira, Project Manager at Senvion Portugal. “Under usual circumstances, I am proud to build wind projects and see the turbines running and delivering green electricity. This time, I am even more proud and excited because we will be the first in Portugal with this emblematic energy independent project using wind energy, not solar or any other solutions.”
This wind energy self-consumption project at the Senvion’s blade factory demonstrates how the company is innovative not only for its wind energy solutions but also for its production processes.
“We’ve been eyeing such a move for years. This project is perfectly in line with our sustainable growth strategy,” added Silva.
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