Vestas to Supply Turbines for Latin America's Largest Wind Farm
Vestas Wind Systems, the world's largest turbine manufacturer, received a massive supply order today from Mexico.
The Danish outfit will supply the Mareña Renovables project with 132 V90-3.0 MW wind turbines, which, collectively, will generate 396 MW of wind power. The contract also calls for Vestas to install the turbines and provide service and maintenance for a 10-year period. The company anticipates delivery of the turbines starting in the second quarter of 2012.
Located in the state of Oaxaca, the project is being developed by Mareña Renovables, a consortium of three institutions: Macquarie Mexican Infrastructure Fund; Mitsubishi Corporation, a Tokyo-based conglomerate with significant expertise in power development and generation; and PGGM, a leading Dutch pension fund service provider. The project's cost is estimated to be $841 million, and when complete, will be the country's largest wind farm.
This project will not be the only utility-scale wind farm in Oaxaca. Last week, the country's President Felipe Calderon officially opened up a 306 MW wind farm developed by Acciona. As it stands now, the Acciona project represents the largest wind farm in Latin America. However, that title will be relinquished once Mareña Renovables turns the key on its project.
At the grand opening of Acciona's wind farm, President Calderon said, "We have the capacity to generate 71,000 megawatts with just the force of the wind. This means that with just the wind, Mexico can generate all of the power that it consumes today." Calderon has been a staunch supporter of wind energy. In 2009, he set a goal of increasing the country's wind capacity six-fold by 2012.
Mexico has set a national goal to reduce its carbon emissions to 50% of its 2002 emissions levels by 2050. Even more, in 2010, Congress approved the National Energy Strategy which calls for the reduction fossil fuel derived power to 65% in 2024, 60% in 230, and 50% in 2050. These goals will require a serious commitment to clean energy sources: it is estimated an additional 7,000 MW will have to be added to the 10,000 MW the government has already committed to developing.
Image credit: Vestas Wind Systems
Nathanael Baker is the Managing Editor of EnergyBoom. He has researched and reported on the issues of renewable energy, sustainability, and climate change for over two years. He has provided research to the New York Times and The Economist, as well as being published on different media outlets including, The Energy Collective.
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