International green energy company Ignitis Renewables has just announced the raising of the first wind turbine in the Kelmė onshore wind farm, the largest in the Baltics. The project is currently under construction and is planned to be completed by the end of the year with a total of 44 wind turbines erected.
“We are now in the most intense and complex period of the wind farm construction, which will last until the end of this year,” commented Giedrius Meškelė, Head of Renewables Lithuania at Ignitis Renewables. The work involves simultaneous tasks including road building, cable laying, grid connection infrastructure installation and pouring the foundations, according to Mr Meškelė.
The wind turbines are manufactured by Nordex. Most of them will be 240 metres tall (including the tower and the blades) with blade rotation diameters of up to 163 metres. Each will have an installed capacity of 7 megawatts (MW).
The installation and transportation of wind turbines is a complex and meticulous task. The abnormal loads require police escort and transportation during the night. Access roads must also be built before delivery. Shipping of the components started in March and will continue until the end of the year.
The renewable energy sector in Lithuania is expected to have a significant boost in 2025 when the commercial operation of the wind farm is planned to begin. The Kelmė district is already a key region in Lithuania, which is implementing its National Energy Independence Strategy. The strategy has the ambitious goal of covering 100 per cent of the country’s electricity needs using renewable sources by 2030.
With an expected investment of around 550 million euros, the Kelmė wind farm represents a substantial commitment to sustainable energy and a greener future for Lithuania.