SKF and the city of Falkenberg start wind park development centre

SKF has agreed with Falkenbergs Utvecklings AB to start a wind energy development center, consisting of R&D, knowledge development, testing and training activities, at Lövstaviken in Falkenberg where a new windpark is planned to be built.

The wind park will be owned by the city of Falkenberg and operated by Falkenberg Energi AB. SKF will, in close co-operation with the involved manufacturers of wind turbines, contribute with testing programmes and equipment, measuring devices and technical competencies to evaluate the different parameters in the application. The park will consist of five turbines of 2 megawatt each - together they will supply energy that covers the need of some 5 500 houses. The wind turbines will be supplied by different manufacturers to ensure access to different technologies. - For SKF it means that we will be able to continuously test and evaluate the performance of different components, products, software and technologies. This will enable us to develop the best possible solutions to maximize asset utilization and drive the development of wind turbine technology while minimizing the environmental impact. Together with Falkenberg we are now establishing the very first centre for renewable energy in Sweden, says Stefan Karlsson, head of Global Renewable Energy Segments at SKF. - We want to further strengthen Falkenberg's profile in the area of alternative energy sources, says the Chairman of the City Council Ingemar Johansson. A co-operation with SKF and other actors in the wind energy business offers the possibility to develop knowledge and products in an industry of the future. It is a challenging idea to see Falkenberg as a partner in this process. The target is to have the wind park and the test centre in operations during 2006. Göteborg, March 7, 2005 Aktiebolaget SKF (publ.) For further information, please contact: PRESS: Lars G Malmer, SKF Group Communication, tel. +46 (0)31 337 1541, e-mail: Lars.G.Malmer@skf.com IR: Marita Björk, SKF Investor Relations, tel. +46 (0)31 337 1994, e-mail: Marita.Bjork@skf.com