Iberdrola Renovables says that the start-up of a major new wind farm in the USA underlines its commitment to the country's renewable energy market.
The Spanish firm has commissioned the Penascal wind farm, which at 404 MW is the company's largest wind power facility. The project is a key part of Iberdrola's plans to expand in the USA.
The wind farm consists of the Penascal I and Penascal II wind farms and is located in Kenedy County, Texas. It has 168 MHI 92 wind turbines and includes a radar system that detects large flocks of migratory birds.
Iberdrola's strategy of targeting the USA as a key market has made it the second largest wind farm operator in the country after NextEra Energy. The company has around 40 wind farms with a total capacity of approximately 4 GW in operation in the USA.
The USA also accounts for 41 per cent of Iberdrola's project pipeline.
The Penascal wind farm will avoid the emission of some 120 000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, says Iberdrola, which spent over 4000 hours researching the characteristics and habits of the bird life in the region prior to construction.
The wind farm's radar system detects the arrival of large flocks of birds and shuts down the turbines if visibility conditions present a danger.
Iberdrola Renovables plans to install 1000 MW per year of new capacity in the US in 2011 and 2012.
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