We have informed you in detail about the progress of the project in previous issues of MND Report. It is such a significant project that a short summary is in order. Construction started in September 2021 with a planned completion date of August 2022. It was a bold plan, but a realistic one. Work on site and the actual manufacture of the turbines, whose individual process units were produced in Germany, Spain and Norway, and the rotor blades in India, went ahead as planned. Everything changed in February 2022, when martial law was declared in Ukraine. Although the west of the country is a relatively safer part, this affected the progress of the project, even halting it at one stage. Thus, the dynamics of construction varied according to the availability of equipment and personnel, and also with regard to the current security situation. The project constantly faced new challenges and demands for strategic decision-making.

Just to recall: the transport of the turbines to Ukraine was to be secured by the manufacturer, but in a time of growing conflict, NORDEX assessed the transport as high-risk. Therefore, at the end of 2022, investor LLC ORIV WIND FARM assumed full responsibility for transporting the turbine technology units from the European Union to the construction site. This logistically challenging task involved the transport of 100 oversized loads weighing around 5,500 tonnes, with transport distances exceeding thousands of kilometres and the creation of a transhipment or intermediate warehouse directly on the Polish-Ukrainian border. The transport of the complete assembly of one turbine took at least three weeks. At the same time, it was necessary to provide a suitable assembly crane with a lifting height of at least 110 metres and a minimum load weight of 80 tonnes, of course with an experienced crew. Mobilizing such a crane requires up to 40 trailers. In the end, it was decided to purchase a new crane of its own, which allowed time flexibility in the assembly of the turbines and, above all, financial savings. The weather also interfered with the construction process. Concrete was poured for the foundations in temperatures as low as 10°C. Efficient superplasticizers ensured that the concrete set properly in such conditions. The freezing technique and the physical demands of pouring and vibrating the concrete were worse. Turbine installations were also weather-controlled. When weather conditions were suitable, installation of a single turbine took three to four days. Sometimes, however, there were several days waiting for a suitable installation window. As autumn approached, the safe installation intervals were then shortened. That is why the assembly of the last rotor blade was completed in the first half of November 2023 in the late night hours under floodlights. Everyone was relieved and joy was pervasive.

After each turbine was assembled, installation work moved indoors where the working lift was assembled, high and low voltage cabling was strung and the electrical switchboard was connected. The control system was then brought back to life with all electrical components and communications checked. The turbines were gradually commissioned.

At the beginning of January 2024 Wind Farm ORIV obtained all necessary certificates and permits for operation. During January, the turbines were running in test mode. Once the required motor hours were reached, the tightening torques on the armature and tower tube were checked, the mechanical parts were checked, followed by oil changes and all electrical parts and safety features were checked. In mid-February 2024, the power supply officially started according to the contractual obligations. For the current year, around 65 GWh have been produced and delivered to the consumer. The immediate production and operational technical parameters of the WF ORIV are monitored at our partner's control room, where the weather forecast is also monitored and production nominations are set. Along with the operation of the turbines, an operational warehouse has also been built to contain spare parts, components and operating fluids to ensure full servicing of the turbines.

The very positive news for the whole WF ORIV project is the possibility of increasing the installed capacity, which was designed directly by NORDEX. This is not a mechanical intervention or replacement of existing equipment, but an increase in power through software modifications in the control system of each turbine. This intervention will increase the plant's output by an additional 4.4 MW, up to a total installed capacity of 59 MW. The value of the increase is almost equivalent to the output of the additional turbine installed. The total annual energy production from the WF ORIV could thus reach up to 162 GWh. The capacity increase is expected to take place during August 2024.

Ukraine has very favourable conditions for the development of renewable energy sources and investments in this area continue regardless of the security situation in the country. In the Lviv region, other interesting projects with an installed capacity of up to 200 MW are emerging. The most advanced "Ready To Build" stage is currently a project in Sokal with a planned capacity of 40 MW. Another project in the pipeline, with the land agenda already settled, is a wind turbine project in the Bels locality, with an estimated capacity of 100 MW. Both projects are located approximately 20 km from the Polish border. The third interesting site, located south-west of the ORIV wind farm, is Turkal, with a planned capacity of 60 MW.

The preparation of wind projects requires considerably more time than the actual construction. They also have a higher "death rate" compared to other industrial projects. For example, wind characterization measurements for the WF ORIV were completed in 2013. Hopefully, some of the projects will move to the construction phase with potential for further collaboration.

In the Czech Republic, the situation with wind energy is unfortunately more complex. New projects face lengthy permitting procedures, lack of political support and a number of false myths. And although the social climate for wind energy is gradually changing for the better, the annual increase in installations is only in the order of a few MW. Between 2020 and 2022, the annual increase in installed capacity was 0 MW, and it was 12 MW in 2023. MND Group has a priority interest in the development of wind energy in the Czech Republic as well. In April 2024, we completed annual measurements of wind characteristics at one of the prospective sites in South Moravia. Analysis and evaluation of the measured data is currently underway. We also see an interesting investment plan in small wind power plants with a capacity of 4 to 60 kW. These systems would operate in "off-grid" mode and could thus partially reduce the electricity consumption at our operating centres.

Karel Bříza

Project Manager, NBD Department