Wind Energy

BECC-NADB approves wind energy project in Tamaulipas, México

The Board of Directors of the North American Development Bank (NADB) and the Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC) approved certification and financing for the construction of a 54-megawatt (MW) wind power farm to be located on communal farmland known as Ejido El Porvenir, just southeast of Reynosa, Tamaulipas.

NADB has authorized a peso loan equivalent to US$51 million for the Mexican company Compañía Eólica de Tamaulipas, S.A. de C.V. (CETSA), which is developing the wind power project and will operate the wind farm.

“This is the first wind energy project in Mexico to be funded by the Bank,” stated NADB Managing Director Gerónimo Gutiérrez. “NADB is pleased to participate in this important project that will contribute to clean energy generation and is part of Mexico’s efforts to combat climate change.”

The El Porvenir wind power project consists of the installation of 30 wind turbines, each with a nominal capacity of 1.8 MW, and includes a substation to step up the energy generated before transferring it to the national grid, as well as a SCADA system for remote monitoring and control.

The electricity produced by the wind farm will be purchased by Mexican retailer Soriana through a long-term power purchase agreement. Soriana is looking to reduce its electricity bills by purchasing the electricity generated by CETSA through a self-supply scheme.

The electricity will be delivered to the Mexican national power company, Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE), at its Aeropuerto substation located about eight miles from the project site. Under the supervision of CFE, CETSA will build an overhead transmission line from the wind farm’s substation to the grid connection point, as well as make necessary upgrades to the infrastructure at the Aeropuerto Substation. The electricity will be used in the northeast section of the national grid, but will be credited to Soriana against consumption in its stores nationwide.

Environmental benefits related to this project include the displacement of over 90,976 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), 1,442.4 metric tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and 189 metric tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx) per year.

Moreover, this project will increase the amount of energy obtained from renewable sources in Mexico’s national grid, promoting renewable capacity growth, diversifying the mix of power generation sources, and making a significant contribution to sustainable development in the region. In its 17 years of operation, BECC has certified 191 environmental infrastructure projects along the U.S.-Mexico border.

By José Santamarta, www.becc.org