ACCIONA Windpower (AWP), a subsidiary of the ACCIONA Group that designs, manufactures and markets wind turbines, plans to install 805.5 MW in North America in 2015. 94% of this capacity will be with 3 MW wind turbines. All these facilities are owned by third-party customers.
By the end of this year, the Green Pastures I and II wind farms (300 MW) and the Cameron Wind Farm (165 MW), will be grid connected. These projects are located in Texas and the first phase of the Green Pastures Wind Farm is already operational.
In Canada, the South Canoe wind farm in Nova Scotia (102 MW) is now being prepared for service. It will be fully operational in June.
In Mexico, the Ventika I (126 MW) wind farm and about half of Ventika II (63 MW of the 126 MW that make up the facility) will enter service in the second half of the year, both of them in the state of Nuevo León, together with Ingenio (49.5 MW) in Oaxaca.
This capacity represents 59.5% of the total that AWP will put into service worldwide in 2015 (1,353 MW). Brazil, another major market for AWP, accounts for 21.5%; South Africa – 10.2%; Turkey – 4.3%; Poland – 4%; and other countries – 0.5%.
Start-up of AWP wind turbines in North America in2015
| Country | Wind farm | Capacity (MW) |
Platform | Rotor | Tower |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
USA |
Green Pastures I |
150 |
AW 3000 |
116 |
92 m steel |
|
USA |
Green Pastures II |
150 |
AW 3000 |
116 |
92 m steel |
|
USA |
Cameron |
165 |
AW 3000 |
125 |
87.5 m steel |
|
Mexico |
Ventika |
126 |
AW 3000 |
116 |
120 m concrete |
|
Mexico |
Ventika II (*) |
63 |
AW 3000 |
116 |
120 m concrete |
|
Mexico |
Ingenio |
49.5 |
AW 1500 |
77 |
80 m steel |
|
Canada |
South Canoe |
102 |
AW 3000 |
116 |
92 m steel |
|
TOTAL |
805.5 |
|
|
|
|
(*) Another 63 MW will enter service in 2016
By the end of 2015 there will be 2,346 MW of ACCIONA Windpower turbines in operation in North America (3 MW and 1.5 MW), representing 41% of the capacity installed by the company worldwide.
Of this figure, 1,372.5 MW will be installed in the USA, 796.5 MW in Mexico and 177 MW in Canada.
Large rotors and a lower COE
The large increase in sales and installations of the AW3000 wind turbine is a result of excellent performance and track record combined with an improved cost of energy (COE). In 2013 and 2014, ACCIONA Windpower achieved a 28% reduction in COE from our wind turbines, which strengthens our competitive positioning and provides more value to our customers. The process will continue over the next few years, in which a further reduction of 16% is expected.
The AW3000 is available in a range of rotor diameters (100 to 132 meters) and can be mounted on either steel or concrete towers from 84 to 137.5 meters high. These options make it possible to optimize the performance of the AW3000 for all wind conditions, in order to meet the needs of any project globally. With the success of the AW116/3000 and AW125/3000, Acciona Windpower is positioned to be a top five supplier in North America in 2015.
ACCIONA WINDPOWER AT AWEA 2015
ACCIONA Windpower is an exhibitor at the most important wind power trade show in North America – Windpower 2015 – in the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, USA. The event, organized by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), brings together the main stakeholders in the sector from May 18th to 21st.
Yesterday the company’s booth received a visit from US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. He was welcomed by ACCIONA Windpower Executive Director José Luis Blanco, AWP North America Director Enrique Teruel and ACCIONA Energy North America Director Ilya Hartmann.
