Oil Company BP Boosts Its Wind Portfolio

BP, best known for its Gulf Oil Spill, and which says it will resume offshore drilling in the Gulf soon, is also betting on wind energy.

The world’s second largest oil company says BP Wind Energy  increased its wind portfolio 8.9% in the first quarter of 2011 and has begun construction of the 150 MW Sherbino 2 Wind Farm in Pecos County, Texas. 

150 MW came online there in 2008, developed with NRG Energy. The final project is slated for a total of 750 MW across 20,000 acres. 

The second phase features 60, 2.5 MW Clipper Windpower C-96 wind turbines and is expected to be operational by year end. 

The company says it spent $390 million on turbines for future projects.

BP Wind is building wind plants mostly in the U.S. It owns 774 MW of wind generation and has stakes 1,362 MW. It operates 10 wind farms in seven U.S. states where there is attractive public policy and incentives, and has 1,000 MW in advanced stages of development. It has 32 MW in the Netherlands.