Enel Green Power Connects 3 New Wind Farms in North America
Enel, through its US renewable subsidiary Enel Green Power North America, has begun operating a 50 MW expansion of the High Lonesome wind farm in Upton and Crockett Counties, in Texas, increasing the largest operational wind project in the Group’s global renewable portfolio to 500 MW. The company also connected to the grid its 105 MW Riverview and 29.4 MW Castle Rock Ridge II wind farms in Alberta in Canada. The investment in the construction of the 500 MW High Lonesome wind farm in Texas amounts to around 720 million US dollars. The total investment for Castle Rock Ridge II and Riverview amounts to over 210 million Canadian dollars.
The 500 MW High Lonesome facility is due to generate around 1.9 TWh annually while avoiding the emission of more than 1.2 million tons of CO2 per year. The project was expanded by the 50 MW that were just connected to the grid thanks to a 12-year, renewable energy power purchase agreement announced in December 2019 with food and beverage company Danone North America, a Public Benefit Corporation and the world’s largest certified B Corporation, for physical delivery of the renewable electricity associated with a 20.6 MW portion of the 50 MW High Lonesome expansion. The agreement between Enel and Danone North America will provide enough electricity to produce the equivalent of almost 800 million cups of yogurt and over 80 million gallons of milk each year and support the food and beverage company’s commitment to securing 100% of its purchased electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
In Texas, Enel currently operates the 63 MW Snyder wind farm in Scurry County and the first 252 MW phase of the Roadrunner solar plant in Upton County. The second 245 MW phase of the Roadrunner solar plant is currently under construction and, once completed, Roadrunner will be one of the largest solar plants in the state.
The Castle Rock Ridge II and Riverview wind farms will supply their net power output and renewable energy credits to the Alberta Electric System Operator under two 20-year Renewable Energy Support Agreements, awarded in 2017 through a tender launched by AESO. Located in the town of Pincher Creek, the wind farms are expected to generate around 493 GWh annually, avoiding approximately 335,500 tons of CO2 emissions per year. In the country, Enel Green Power also operates the 76.2 MW Castle Rock Ridge I wind farm in Pincher Creek, which began operations in 2012, for an overall portfolio of more than 210 MW in Canada.
Source : Strategic Research Institute