- Enel Green Power North America has started construction on five new renewable energy projects in the US, including three hybrid renewable + storage projects and it’s largest solar plant in the US
ROME and BOSTON- Enel has started construction on five new renewable energy projects in the US including Roseland solar + storage, Blue Jay solar + storage, Ranchland wind + storage, Alta Farms wind project and Rockhaven wind project. In addition, Enel will add 57 MW battery storage systems to two operational projects in Texas, the High Lonesome wind farm and Roadrunner solar farm. The new wind, solar and hybrid projects announced today, located in Texas, Illinois and Oklahoma represent over 1.5 GW of new capacity and 319 MW of battery storage capacity.
“The American transition to clean energy is unstoppable, and Enel Green Power North America is playing a leading role,” said Salvatore Bernabei, CEO of Enel Green Power and Head of Enel’s Global Power Generation business line. “With more than 2 GW now under construction in the United States, more than ever before, we are creating value with communities, partners, and our entire value chain, helping meet the ambitious clean energy targets of policymakers and businesses alike.”
The five new projects under construction will generate over 4.1 TWh of renewable electricity per year, equivalent to avoiding 2.5 million tons of CO2 emissions, and enough to power over 525,000 U.S. households annually. Over their lifetime, the five new projects are expected to generate around 450 million US dollars in tax revenue for local communities and new income for project landowners. Construction of the projects will be responsible for over 1,500 construction jobs. With these projects, Enel Green Power North America currently has over 2.3 GW of renewable generation under construction and by mid-year will have 606 MW of battery storage capacity under construction.
Projects in Texas
Enel is expanding its presence in Texas, to bring added capacity and resiliency to the local grid. The company has now started construction of the Roseland solar + storage, Blue Jay solar + storage and Ranchland wind + storage projects. At 639.6 MW1, Roseland will be Enel’s largest solar plant in the US and Canada and will be paired with a 59 MW2 battery storage system. Located in Falls County, Roseland is expected to achieve commercial operation in the second-half of 2022.
In Grimes County, Texas, the Blue Jay solar + storage project will pair a 270 MW3 solar photovoltaic (PV) plant with a 59 MW4 battery storage system. The project is expected to begin operations by the end of 2021. The Ranchland wind + storage project will be a 263 MW wind farm paired with an 875 MW battery system. Located in Callahan and Eastland counties, operations of the project are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2022.
Enel previously announced construction, which is currently underway, on three other renewables + storage hybrids in Texas including the Lily solar + storage, Azure Sky solar + storage and Azure Sky wind + storage projects. Additionally, the company plans to retrofit its 500 MW High Lonesome wind farm and 497 MW Roadrunner solar farm in West Texas with a 57 MW battery storage system at each plant, with construction expected to begin this summer. In total, Enel Green Power has six projects under construction in Texas representing 2 GW of new generating capacity and around 600 MW of battery storage.
Projects in Illinois and Oklahoma
Enel is growing its portfolio in Illinois with the construction of the Alta Farms wind project in DeWitt County. The 200 MW plant is expected to begin operations in the second-half of 2022. In Oklahoma, Enel has started construction on the 140 MW Rockhaven wind project in Garvin and Carter counties, adjacent to the Origin wind farm which the company has operated since 2015. The project is expected to achieve commercial operation by the end of 2021.
Enel Green Power continues to be the partner of choice for companies and utilities looking to purchase renewable energy and all five projects being announced today have offtake agreements for a portion of their output.
Enel Green Power North America is a leading developer, long-term owner and operator of renewable energy plants in North America, with a presence in 15 US states and one Canadian province. The company operates 60 plants with a managed capacity of over 6.7 GW powered by renewable wind, geothermal and solar energy.
Enel is a multinational power company and a leading integrated player in the global power, gas, and renewables markets. It is the largest European utility by ordinary EBITDA, and is present in over 30 countries worldwide, producing energy with around 88 GW of installed capacity. Enel distributes electricity through a network of over 2.2 million kilometers, and with more than 74 million business and household end users globally, the Group has the largest global customer base among its European peers. Enel’s renewables arm Enel Green Power is the world’s largest renewable private player, with around 49 GW of wind, solar, geothermal, and hydropower plants installed in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania.
