Acciona Energy North America–a unit of the Acciona group (ANA.MC)–announced the opening of its 100.5 megawatts (MW) EcoGrove Wind Farm, located in Stephenson County, Illinois.
EcoGrove Wind Farm represents Acciona’s first renewable energy project in the state of Illinois although the company is headquartered in nearby Chicago.
Using 67 Acciona Windpower 1.5-MW wind turbines, EcoGrove Wind Farm is able to generate enough clean energy to power over 25,000 U.S. homes and offset approximately 176,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually. The EcoGrove facility is spread across more than 7000 acres of farmland.
Acciona said the EcoGrove project was constructed by 125 local trades people and numerous local and regional suppliers and service providers. In addition, nine of the 10 service technicians filling the project’s newly created wind jobs are from the local area.
Construction of the wind farm, including turbine erection, was managed by The Morse Group. The project was acquired by Acciona from EcoEnergy LLC who continued to serve the project in a development and consultative capacity through the completion of the project.
Long-term lease agreements have been completed with 71 landowners.
Acciona Energy is a leader in renewable energies with a major presence in the main clean technologies. In wind power it has installed 6,037 MW, owned by the company and other companies, and it produces wind turbines using proprietary technology. As of December 31, 2008, the company had installed 65 MW of concentrating solar power plants and 115 MW of photovoltaic power. It also owns and operates three biomass plants (33 MW) and 19 small hydro power stations (59 MW). In biofuels, it produces biodiesel from vegetable oils and bioethanol from wine-surplus alcohol.
Loading...