Horizon Wind Energy, owned by EDP Renovaveis, the fourth largest wind energy producer in the world, has announced the commercial operation of three further wind farms in the US. The three farms commissioned over 500 megawatts (MW) in December of last year.
The 201 MW Meridian Way Wind Farm, situated in north central Kansas in Cloud County,
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the 102.9 megawatt (MW) Rattlesnake Road Wind Farm located near the city of Arlington in Gilliam County, Oregon, and the first phase (201.3 MW) of the Pioneer Prairie Wind Farm, Iowa, are now fully operational.
“Horizon Wind Energy celebrates the commercial operations of the Meridian Way Wind Farm, the Rattlesnake Road Wind Farm, and the first phase of the Pioneer Prairie Wind Farm. These wind farms mark our entry into two additional states, Kansas and Iowa; Horizon is proud to contribute to the clean energy future in regions with such promising wind resources,” said Antonio Martins da Costa, Chairman and CEO of Horizon Wind Energy.
“In addition, we are proud to start the commercial operation of our second wind farm in Oregon; we now have more than 200 megawatts operating in the state and are continuing to research new opportunities with several hundred megawatts under development,” da Costa continued.
The state of Kansas ranks number 12 in wind power in the United States with less than 400 MWs installed, but will climb in rank this year to nearly 1,000 MW of total installed capacity, enough wind power to provide energy to more than 300,000 local homes. Iowa, meanwhile, has long been a leader in renewable energy, setting a requirement in 1983 of 105MW for its two investor-owned utilities. This, combined with Iowa’s strong wind resource, access to transmission, and community acceptance helped launch many large-scale projects in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In 2001, Iowa established a voluntary goal of 1,000MW of wind generating capacity by 2010.
Horizon is owned by EDP Renovaveis S.A., a global leader in the renewable energy sector. EDPR has undergone exceptional development in recent years. Its installed capacity increased four-fold between 2005 and 2007, becoming the fourth largest wind energy producer in the world. Energias de Portugal, S.A. (“EDP”), the parent company of EDPR, is a vertically-integrated utility company, headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal.
