Centrica seeks consent for Race Bank offshore wind farm

Centrica plc today submitted a planning application for its furthest offshore wind project, which could further underpin British Gas' position as the UK's largest supplier of green energy to domestic customers.British Gas' parent company Centrica, which has the lowest CO2 emissions of any major energy supplier, submitted an application for the Race Bank project to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). The application follows a full environmental impact assessment for the wind farm site, 17.4miles off the Lincolnshire coast and 16.8 miles off the north Norfolk coast.Race Bank, with a potential maximum capacity of 620MW, would be capable of supplying clean electricity to around 420,000 British Gas customers, saving significant CO2 emissions and reinforcing the company's commitment to low carbon power generation.The development would include up to three offshore substations. The Race Bank development would be connected to the National Grid network at the existing Walpole substation. In October 2008 the 250 MW Lincs wind farm project, 5 miles off the Lincolnshire coast, received official consent. Subject to Centrica Board approval, a construction timetable for Lincs will be announced in due course. DECC is also considering Centrica's planning application for the Docking Shoal wind farm, 12 miles off the coast of Lincolnshire and 8.7 miles off the north Norfolk coast.
It is expected that the development of these Greater Wash projects would take place through to around 2015 and would make a significant contribution towards the Government's target of 15 per cent of the UK's electricity from renewable sources by 2015.
The full environmental impact assessment (EIA) which accompanies the Race Bank application for consent looks at issues such as marine ecology and ornithology, shipping and navigation, socioeconomic impacts, commercial fishing and coastal processes. Centrica sought the views of key interested parties during its consultations, giving them the opportunity to comment on and influence the nature and type of environmental studies to be carried out.Alan Thompson, Centrica Head of Renewables, said: "The recent energy crisis between Russia and the Ukraine underlines just how important it is to continually invest in the UK's power generation. A responsible renewable strategy will play a significant part in ensuring Britain's security of supply as well as delivering low carbon electricity for future generations."

REpower announces preliminary results for first nine

REpower announces preliminary results for first nine months of fiscal year 2008/09

• Total performance climbs up 50% to EUR 842.9 million
• Rise in EBIT from EUR 27.9 million to EUR 38.1 million

Hamburg, 26 January 2009.

In the period 1 April to 31 December 2008, the REpower Systems Group (Prime Standard, WKN 617703) generated a total performance figure of EUR 842.9 million according to provisional calculations, compared to EUR 552.7 million in the corresponding period of
the previous year from 1 April to 31 December 2007.

The operating result (EBIT) improved from EUR 27.9 million to EUR 38.1 million.

In the reporting period from 1 April to 31 December 2008, total operating revenue
increased by more than 50% from EUR 552.7 million last year to EUR 842.9
million.

Sales developed along the same trend, growing by 46% compared to the previous year, from EUR 582.5 million to EUR 850.5 million.

Furthermore earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) increased: For the reporting period they amounted to EUR 38.1 million in comparison with EUR 27.9 million for the same period of the previous year.

By the end of December 2008 the order book contained sales contracts for 708 wind energy turbines all in all, with a total rated power of 1,502.6 MW. This corresponds to a contractually assured order volume of more than EUR 1.6 billion.