Wind Turbine Installed at the Orthodox Academy in Vilemov (Czech Republic)

A Fuhrländer FL100 wind turbine has been installed in the Orthodox Academy in Vilemov in the Czech republic. This wind turbine, with the nominal output of 100kW, is considered to be the most important element of the Centre for Application of Renewable Energy Resources, established by the Orthodox Academy of Vilemov, which also has functioning middle-size photovoltaic, solar thermal and biomass installations. The Centre is related to the Orthodox Church which is active in environmental issues.

The Fuhrländer FL100 wind turbine is dedicated to St. Prophet Elias is the first wind turbine in the Czech Republic. It probably sees the beginning of a new period of development for wind energy in this country and hopefully more widely in Eastern and Central Europe.

The new 100kW installation is timely in that the State Energy Regulation Office was recently established in the Czech republic and energy from wind is guaranteed the price of 3 CZK (0,1 Euro) per kWh. However, there is no long term guarantee for this very favourable price and wind turbines often meet with bureaucratic and administrative obstacles.

The FL100 wind turbine, produced by the German producer Fuhrländer A. G., has a diameter of 21m and is situated on top of a 33m high tubular tower. The tower was produced by the Czech engineering company Noving according to the Fuhrlandre A. G. specification. Expected production of the wind turbine at the given location – an open mountain plateau 680m above the sea level - should be about 194.000 KWh per year. The energy produced is distributed by the Czech Southern Moravian Energy Company and the income supports the Orthodox Academy, its Centre for Application of Renewable Energy and a small monastery. The wind turbine provided its first kilowatts of clean energy to the grid in Spring 2003. The working team of the Centre for Application of Renewable Energy has already organised many educational courses, seminars and conferences on environmental issues. Now the Centre hopes to extend its work and also to provide practice-based consultancy on environmental issues and renewable energy applications for Churches, NGO´s, local administrations and other interested organisations and individuals from the Czech Republic and from all Central and Eastern Europe. Hopefully this Fuhrländer FL100 will start the new chapter in the utilisation of wind energy in transition countries.

Roman Juriga
Director of the Orthodox Academy Vilemov, former member of the ECEN Enabling team

See also an article on the Orthodox Academy's new project for 2004 "Churches for the Future - 50 Solar Roofs"

This page was last updated on 22 November 2004