Wind energy in Mexico: Mareña new wind farm

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is to provide Mareña Renovables with a loan of up to $72m to help finance a 396MW Mexican wind farm.

The wind power project in Oaxaca will comprise 132 wind turbines and includes the construction of a 52km transmission line connecting the farm to the electricity grid.

The IDB said it will supply power to subsidiaries and affiliates of Fomento Económico Mexicano and Cerveceria Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma under 33 self-supply agreements.

The wind farm is predicted to help save the beverage companies an estimated 10% of their total energy costs. The IDB structured and corporate finance department’s team leader Jeff Easum said: “We are helping Mexico harness its abundant wind energy resources to meet growing energy demand while reducing fossil fuel imports for electricity generation.”

When complete the wind farm will be the biggest in Mexico and one of the largest in Latin America, according to the IDB.

By José Santamarta, http://www.evwind.com/noticias.php?id_not=11332