Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) says it is keen to develop more Joint Implementation (JI) projects following the success of its Kaliakra wind farm in Bulgaria.
The 35 MW wind farm, located at Kaliakra Cape on the Black Sea coast, has started operating and is generating emission reduction units (ERUs) for Japan as well as electricity for Natsionalna Elektricheska Kompania EAD (NEK), Bulgaria’s state-owned electricity utility.
The project was developed by MHI and Bulgarian engineering firm inos Ltd as a Japanese-Bulgarian JI project to reduce greenhouse has emissions under the Kyoto mechanisms framework. It is expected to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by around 85 000 tons annually compared to conventional thermal power generation.
MHI said in a statement that following the success of the project, it is now aiming to “vigorously develop more business schemes geared toward acquisition of carbon emission credits”, as well as expand its wind turbine business in Europe.
The Kaliakra wind farm consists of 35 of MHI’s MWT62/1.0 wind turbines. It was backed by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and represents the first investment in power generation in Bulgaria by a Japanese company.
Of the emission credits obtained through the project, up to 350 000 tons will be sold to Japan Carbon Finance, Ltd. (JCF), a company established by JBIC and major Japanese corporations in 2004. MHI will purchase any surplus credit beyond 350 000 tons.
Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007 and is aiming to meet 11 per cent of its energy needs through renewable energy by 2010. Japan, meanwhile, is required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by six per cent over 1990 levels under the Kyoto Protocol.
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