Shell Secures Acquisition of Spanish Wind Park

Shell WindEnergy has acquired a 40 percent share of the La Muela Wind Park in north-east Spain from TXU Europe Energy Trading. The transaction marks the beginning of commercial-scale wind operations in Europe for the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies.

Houston, Texas – July 25, 2003 [SolarAccess.com] La Muela comprises 132 NEG-MICON 750 kW wind turbines, split into two 49.5 MW wind parks located 15 kilometers southwest of the city of Zaragoza. La Muela has been operational since construction was completed in February 2003. “The La Muela Wind Park provides us with a solid platform on which to expand our business within the Spanish market and elsewhere in Europe”, David Jones, director of Shell WindEnergy said. “Wind power has tremendous potential in Europe and Shell WindEnergy aims to play a fundamental role in creating a sustainable energy future for the continent.” Shell WindEnergy’s partners in the La Muela project include BVT Energie und Umwelttechnik AG (30 percent), Gruppo Falck (26 percent). The remaining four percent is held by Diputacion General de Aragon and PDF Share Capital, GmbH. Elsewhere in Europe, Shell WindEnergy is a 50 percent participant in the NoordZeeWind consortium, selected to develop the Near Shore Wind Park, 10 kilometers off the coast of Egmond aan Zee in the Netherlands. A final investment decision for this 99 MW project is expected in early 2004. Shell WindEnergy also participates in two pilot European wind projects, the 4 MW Blyth project in the UK which was the world’s first offshore wind development and a 3.6 MW project at Harburg, Germany, the world’s first wind development on a refinery site. In the US Shell WindEnergy owns four wind parks – two in California, one in Wyoming and one in Texas. The four wind parks have a combined output of over 230 MW, equivalent to the energy requirements of approximately 80,000 homes. In addition, Shell WindEnergy also announced its 50 percent participation in a 160 MW wind park in Brazos, Texas, which will be completed by the end of 2003. Once installed, this will bring Shell WindEnergy’s total worldwide gross installed capacity to nearly 500 MW.