Wind Energy

BP Wind Energy has started work on its fourth wind farm in Texas

BP Wind Energy says the wind power complex will have a generating capacity of 225 megawatts, producing enough electricity to support more than 65,000 homes. Two of BP’s wind farms became operational in 2008 while the third is expected to be in commercial operation by the end of 2011.

The wind farm will utilize 90 Clipper Windpower C-96 wind turbines, each with a rated capacity of 2.5 MW. The balance-of-plant contract has been awarded to Blattner Energy and is expected to employ 250 to 300 people on-site during the peak of construction.

Energy produced by the wind farm will be delivered into Oncor’s new Garvey Road substation via a four-mile electrical T-line from the project’s substation. When complete, the power output from the wind farm will be delivered into the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas transmission system and sold on the wholesale power market.

BP has reported an increase in wind power capacity by 8.9 percent in the first quarter and has started building a wind farm in Texas. BP reported a net wind turbines capacity of 774 MW compared with 711 MW for the same period a year earlier. Including wind farm projects where BP has partial ownership, those figures are 1,362 MW for the first quarter compared with 1,237 MW a year ago.

BP reported that construction has commenced on the 150 MW Sherbino 2 wind farm in Pecos County, Texas. BP also spent $390 million on wind turbines for future wind power projects in the fourth quarter of last year, according to a statement detailing the company’s earnings. BP currently operates 10 wind farms in seven U.S. states. It has a further 1,000 MW in an advanced stage of development.

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