Pretulalpe: the wind farm is being expanded – steiermark.ORF.at

“Especially in times like these, as a natural company, we are committed to a sustainable and environmentally compatible expansion of renewable energy production on our land,” Bundesforste board member George Schäuble was quoted as saying in Thursday’s broadcast.

New wind turbines generate more electricity

Due to the very good wind conditions, the existing plants mostly delivered higher than planned production results in the early years of operation. In addition, advanced technological developments now make it possible to increase electricity production with a much smaller number of wind turbines in alpine sites with strong winds.

“We will invest more than €20 million in expanding our wind farm by the end of 2023, thus increasing the production of green electricity in full operation by more than 40 percent to about 132 million kWh annually,” says Schäuble.

Electricity for 33,000 families

The Pretul I wind farm is Bundesforste’s first wind farm and was brought online in 2017. Since then, it has produced an average of about 93 million kWh of electricity annually, according to ÖBf. By the end of 2023, the four new systems are expected to feed another 39 million kWh annually into the grid. “This means that Federal Forestry is running the largest wind farm in the Alps in full expansion,” Schäuble says. It should be able to supply about 33,000 households with electricity.

Simultaneously with the commencement of construction work to expand the wind farm, the implementation of accompanying environmental measures will also begin. “As a natural company, we consider our projects not only from an economic perspective, but also from an environmental and social perspective,” says Schäuble. Amphibious waters are created, heaps of rocks and branches are intended to provide shelter for reptiles, and separate rooms are created for black grouse, small birds and birds.