Rueters reports that TransAlta Corp. has negotiated a 25 year wind power purchase agreement with New Brunswick Power. Under the terms of the agreement, TransAlta will develop and operate a wind farm in New Brunswick and sell the power to New Brunswick Power.
Construction of the wind farm will begin in early 2008. When completed, the wind farm will feature 25 wind turbines and generate enough electricity to power more than 13,000 homes.
Portland Press Herald reports that some environmental groups are fighting what would be New England’s largest wind farm, a $150 million proposed wind farm for Maine’s western mountains.
The environmental groups argue that the loss of valuable recreation areas, when combined with potential risks to the sub-alpine ecosystem, outweigh the potential benefits of the project. The location of the proposed wind farm is controversial because its location is near the Appalachian Trial, on the ridge of Black Nubble Mountain and Redington Pond Range.
If completed, the project would include 30 wind turbines and generate 90 Megawatts of wind power.
Hemscott reports that Scottish and Southern Energy PLC has partnered with Viking Energy to develop a 600 Megawatt wind farm. The wind farm will be located on Shetland Island, in Scotland, and is set to become the largest land-based wind farm in the United Kingdom.
The wind farm is currently in the planning stage. The new joint venture will submit a planning application for the wind farm by the end of 2007.
Renewable Energy Access reports that Delaware residents strongly support offshore wind power as a renewable source of energy for the state. In a recent survey, more than 90% of Delaware residents supported the construction of wind turbines even if it were to add as much as $30 per month to their electric bills.
EnergyOnline reports that construction has begun at the Camp Springs Wind Energy Center in Texas. When completed, the wind farm will generate more than 130 Megawatts of wind power from 87 wind turbines.
The wind farm will begin operating in June 2007.
Chron.com reports that Athens, Greece-based Public Power Corp. SA has partnered with EDF Energies Nouvelles SA, a French company, to build a new 122 Megawatt wind farm which should be operating in the year 2009.
Public Power Corp. said they seek to achieve 23% of the Greek renewable energy market by the year 2014. The company intends to generate 900 Megawatts of renewable power by the year 2012.
FP Passport reports that Scotland plans to generate 40% of all energy from renewable sources by 2020. In addition, it will soon have the largest wind farm in the United Kingdom, a £300 Million project being constructed just south of Glasgow.
BlackEnterprise.com reports that NZ Windfarms will be raising capital in May to continue development of their Te Rere Hau wind farm, located in New Zealand, on the Tararua Ranges near Palmerston North.
There are five wind turbines currently operating at the Te Rere Hau wind farm. NZ Windfarms intends to install a total of 97 turbines, which will ultimately generate 48 Megawatts of wind power. The company ordered 14 more wind turbines at the end of 2006.
Washington Business Journal reports that California-based enXco Inc. has closed in the financing necessary to complete construction of the $385 million Fenton Wind Energy Project, located in Murray and Nobles Counties, in Minnesota. The Minnesota wind farm project began construction in September 2006, and will be completed and generating wind power before the end of 2007.
The largest investor in the Fenton Wind Energy Project is GE Financial Services, which holds a 50% stake in the wind farms.
Choteau Acantha reports that WindPark Solutions America is working to develop a new 40 Megawatt wind farm east of Choteau, Montana. The company has been planning the wind farm project for the past year, and their total investment in the wind farm is expected to exceed $60 million.
The wind farm would involve between 18 and 26 wind turbines, each set on towers 260 feet tall. The project would be developed in two phases; phase one, which will include the installation of between 9 and 13 wind turbines, would begin construction in late 2007 or early 2008. Each wind turbine will produce roughly 1.5-2.5 Megawatts of power.