W.E.B production 2011

The 2011 calendar year will appear in Austrian statistics as a below average wind year, especially with regard to the eastern regions of the country. However, W.E.B’s international organization facilitated the attainment of 98 per cent of planned electricity output even in this problematic meteorological year.

Moreover, the total production of 474,387 megawatt-hours (MWh) represented a new annual production record (2010: 444,367 MWh). In addition to the international spread of W.E.B’s locations, this pleasing result derived from additional power plant capacity and excellent plant availability levels. 

Location spread is a strategic W.E.B advantage

As a result of the weak wind year, overall output in the Austrian branch was below average. However, in particular W.E.B was able to exploit the positive wind conditions in northern Germany. This again demonstrated that W.E.B is extremely well equipped to attain its planned targets even in difficult years.

Challenging weather conditions during the year

In climatic terms, the past year resembled a rollercoaster. There was little wind in the months for which production peaks were planned, but production records in months, which in a “normal year” are generally found in lower mid- table.

2011 was an extreme year constituted a genuine challenge for the operation of wind power plants. It was characterized by unusually long periods of high pressure, which especially in the first quarter had a negative effect on production due to a lack of rain and limited wind speeds.

The warm spring with the second warmest April ever recorded provided a good yield, which was then exceeded by a highly changeable and wet July.

The late summer brought above-average temperatures and planned output. The driest November since meteorological records began, as well as an extremely unusual period of high pressure, resulted in massive standstills due to calm conditions and icing.

December, which was characterized by stormy west winds, enabled the missing MWh to be recovered, especially in Germany and France. These two countries partly saw the setting of new production records with the result that this month saw the second-highest production figure in W.E.B history.

The stable result was achieved due to high plant availability levels, which resulted from operations that were virtually perfect from a technical perspective. Overall availability was only slightly reduced due to icing in the foggy, light wind phases during February and November, and at the beginning of December.

Technological overview

Wind energy

All in all, W.E.B’s wind power plants achieved almost all of the planned output, which in view of the difficult weather conditions underlines the company’s optimized operational management and its very high plant efficiency levels.

Solar energy

The focus of activities in this area was on the start-up of W.E.B’s largest solar power plant in Montenero, Italy. During sunny December, the Park exceeded the planned result by 72 per cent.

Hydropower

The available water was turned into kilowatt-hours in optimum fashion by means of stable power plant operation in Eberbach and Imst. However, extreme dryness led to a permanent water shortage, which reduced production markedly.

Optimistic outlook

The outlook for the coming year is also optimistic and not only due to the stormy beginning provided by the arrival of the hurricane-force depression “Andrea”. The planned commissioning of additional W.E.B power plants and the production from participations permit the forecast that in 2012 the company will already produce significantly more than 500,000 MWh of energy on an ecologically compatible basis. This volume corresponds with the annual electricity requirements of over 170,000 households.