Cervecería y Maltería Quilmes and Central Puerto put the cornerstone to build the Budweiser wind farm, which will generate 55 megawatts (MW) of wind energy from April 2020.
The agreement provides that Quilmes will buy Central Puerto renewable energy for 20 years for 283 million dollars.
Rubén Vázquez, manager of renewable energies of Central Puerto, said that the contract allowed to obtain external financial support for this park with 21 wind turbines, located 70 kilometers west of Río Cuarto, next to the current Achiras Wind Farm, which already produces 49 MW of energy with 15 wind turbines installed.
Gonzalo Fagioli, vice president of corporate affairs for Quilmes, said Budweiser Park will meet the goal of supplying 100 percent renewable energy.
In 18 months, the brewery will become the first Argentine consumer company to transform its entire energy matrix. “This is a milestone in the history of the company. Sustainability is the business of the company. Using 100 percent renewable energy is part of the goals set for the purpose of continuing to make drinks for 100 more years, in a plan that also includes sustainable agriculture, circular packaging, consumption and access to water and impact on value chain ” , explained Martín Ticinese, president of Quilmes
As anticipated, this work plans to generate 700 jobs, mostly during construction. Once put into operation, wind turbines do not require many operators.
“A contract of these characteristics, at an extremely long term and with Quilmes, is the dream of the kid. This allows us to obtain foreign financing and develop the national industry. Making renewable energy is not only a sustainable issue, but also an economic one; it competes with gas, which in this case has a better price, “said Vázquez.
Central Puerto presents itself as the most important private electric power generator in the country, with 31 percent of its renewable matrix. It has a national investment plan of 712 million dollars to go from 3.8 gigawatts (GW) to 5.2 GW in 2020.
Double Obelisk
From Central Puerto, it was indicated that each of the 21 mills is 126 meters high, almost twice the size of the Obelisk.
The wind turbines are Vestas brand, have 100 percent national components and will be assembled in Campana, province of Buenos Aires. The towers are also national and are made in Florencio Varela. Only the blades are imported.
Currently, 150 people work at the bases of each mill, which have a conical iron structure.
The event was attended by, among others, the mayor of Achiras, Jorge Otamendi; the national deputies Juan Carlos “Cali” Villalonga (ecological activist) and Adriana Nazario, and the provincial legislators Franco Miranda and Carlos Gutiérrez.
For an environmental change
Charly Alberti, former drummer of Soda Stereo and a reference for the environmental organization Revolution 21, left yesterday, at the Achiras wind farm, his message about “global environmental change”. He highlighted the importance of renewable energies and the daily decisions of citizens.
“That a company like Quilmes decides to be 100 percent renewable is historic. The problem is not a company, but the sum of the small individual actions. There are those who believe that nothing changes for a bag in a super. But it does change if seven billion people do the same. It is not a great effort; is to be more conscious, “he warned.
In this regard said that “we must declare war on the oil and plastic industry” and “boycott companies that pollute.” The exbaterista said that he became involved in the awareness project 10 years ago, when he met Albert “Al” Gore, former vice president of the United States, and The Climate Project.
Investments: source of generation
Central Puerto has 31% of the renewable energy matrix.
The company has an investment plan in the whole country of 712 million dollars. This will allow it to go from 3.8 gigawatts to 5.2 gigawatts during the next year.
