Wind Energy

Wind energy in Mexico: 306 MW wind farm in Oaxaca

Macquarie Infrastructure Fund Mexico next month will begin the work of its 396 MW wind farm, Renewable Mareña in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. The IDB is considering a loan of $75 million to finance part of Renewable Energy Mareña, which will include wind turbines 80 meters high and 3 MW of Danish firm Vestas in two wind farm areas. The initiative is divided into 306 MW and 90 MW and will occupy a total area of ​​95 hectares. It also includes associated substation and transmission line 52 km, according to the review of wind power project.

The total estimated cost of the wind power facility amounted to 1,200 million dollars and will be funded with a contribution of 850 million from a group of Mexican banks and commercial development. Once operational, Mareña Renewable provide 86% of their generation to Femsa, the beverage company in Latin America Latin America’s largest, and the rest to the local brewery Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma.

The wind energy project is already reserved transmission capacity with the power company CFE in an open season bidding. The capacity was originally reserved for the Spanish Preneal, who sold his wind farm projects to FIMM Isthmian Alternative Energy and Wind Energy Mareña in late March for $89 million. Preneal still has a 100 MW wind power project under development in the Mexican state of Zacatecas. Australian investment bank Macquarie FIMM launched in January 2010 with 5,200 million dollars in initial investment commitments.

By José Santamarta, www.evwind.com