Enefit Green and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have signed a €180 million financing agreement to support the construction of the Sopi-Tootsi onshore wind farm in Estonia. This will support Estonia’s path towards decarbonisation and energy independence. The loan period is 12 years.
The loan will help finance the design, construction and operation of Estonia’s most modern and powerful Sopi-Tootsi wind energy facility, with a total nominal capacity of 255 megawatts. The projects include 38 wind turbines and the associated civil and electrical infrastructure. They will be developed in the southwest of Estonia, approximately 30 km from Pärnu Bay and Pärnu.
“Enefit Green is pleased to start a strategic partnership with the EIB. The loan agreement signed today is an important part of financing the ongoing investment programme,” commented Veiko Räim, Member of the Board and Chief Financial Officer of Enefit Green.
“Enefit Green has a clear roadmap to quadruple production capacity by 2026 to increase the supply of affordable green energy and improve energy security. We are grateful for the trust and support that the EIB is showing towards our growth ambitions. This loan agreement not only provides us with the necessary financial resources to fuel our project, but it also reaffirms our common commitment to creating a cleaner, more sustainable future for generations to come.”
“The wind farm will increase national wind production by about 80% while reducing the country’s strong dependency on oil shale,” said EIB Vice-President Thomas Östros, responsible for EIB business in Estonia. “The EU bank is delighted to sign this important loan agreement to support both climate action and cohesion, contributing to the transformation of Estonia into a low-carbon economy on the country’s path toward climate neutrality.”
The new installation will provide green energy equal to the average annual electricity consumption of more than 197,000 households. It will be primarily located in cohesion regions, where per capita income is lower than the EU average, underlining the EIB’s commitment to equitable growth and the convergence of living standards. The investment will boost economic growth and employment and form part of the EIB’s dedicated support package to REPowerEU — the EU plan to eliminate dependence on fossil fuel imports.
Source: https://www.eib.org/
Image source: Courtesy of EVN
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