Wind energy in Chile: Mainstream and Goldwind build a wind farm

The construction of the first phase of wind farm Ckani in northern Chile should start later this year, and has the potential to generate 240 megawatts of wind energy by 2015. The value of the entire wind power project is 480 million dollars and the first stage will require $ 140 million.

Under the agreement, Chicago-based Goldwind provide 47 wind turbines of 1.5 megawatts. Goldwind is the second largest producer of wind energy equipment from China after Sinovel, and the agreement is the second with Mainstream Chile.

Goldwind also established a contract to supply wind turbines for a 16 megawatt wind power project in Ecuador in late 2011.

The main wind turbine manufacturers in China are increasingly looking abroad to export its wind turbines to boost sales amid falling prices of wind turbines and difficult conditions of Chinese wind power market.

"The strategic partnership with China is critical to the overall strategy of Mainstream," said Mainstream chief executive Eddie O’Connor.

"Mainstream has more than 15,000 megawatts of wind energy projects and solar energy worldwide, and our Chinese partners have the world’s most advanced technology that is ready to be implemented in the most cost and scale," he added.

By José Santamarta, www.evwind.com