During peak construction, Indiana Crossroads II Wind Farm will employ 250 full-time jobs and will hire eight permanent positions to operate and perform routine maintenance on the project throughout its multi-decade operational life. The project will also pay an estimated $37 million to White County landowners through land lease payments and disburse more than $48.5 million to local governments, which fund schools, roads, infrastructure and other essential services.

“Wind and White County go hand-in-hand, and EDP Renewables is proud to be a part of this clean energy movement, with Indiana Crossroads II representing our soon-to-be seventh operational wind farm in the area,” said Tom LoTurco, executive VP of EDP Renewables for eastern region, North America, Canada and government affairs. “Our partnership with White County and Indiana residents is an example of how communities can flourish with renewable energy development. Indiana’s clean energy leadership has contributed to the development of more than a dozen renewable energy projects that are essential to EDP Renewables’ business operations, and we look forward to what lies ahead.”

EDP Renewables has 1,400 MW of installed capacity in Indiana that generates electricity equivalent to the consumption of more than 372,000 average homes. EDPR is also the largest operator of wind energy generation in the state; the company’s operating wind portfolio comprises six phases of the Meadow Lake Wind Farm (White and Benton Counties) and two phases of the Headwaters Wind Farm (Randolph County). Riverstart Solar Park in Randolph County was the company’s first greenfield solar development project in Indiana and is now operational.

Indiana Crossroads II Wind Farm has a power purchase agreement between EDP Renewables and Northern Indiana Public Service Company, a subsidiary of NiSource. The companies have also partnered to bring three other renewable energy projects to White County, including the 102-MW Rosewater Wind Farm, which is now fully operational and owned by NIPSCO; the 302-MW Indiana Crossroads I Wind Farm, which is now fully operational and owned by NIPSCO; and the 200-MW Indiana Crossroads Solar Park, which is currently under construction.

News item from EDP Renewables North America

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EDP Renewables North America completed its first repowering project at the Blue Canyon II Wind Farm, which is one phase of the 423-MW four-phase project located in southwestern Oklahoma.

Credit: EDP Renewables

EDPR NA anticipates the repowering operation of its Blue Canyon II Wind Farm to extend the project’s life an additional 20 to 30 years. Seventy-three of Blue Canyon II’s 84 turbines were repowered, replacing each turbine’s nacelle, blades and the top tower section. The turbines were upgraded from V80 1.8-MW to V110 2-MW.

“Southwestern Oklahoma has an abundant wind resource and receptive community, which creates a favorable environment for a great wind project,” said Kris Cheney, executive VP of Central and Western Regions, Mexico and Environmental Affairs at EDP Renewables. “The repowering of Blue Canyon II was a success, and EDP Renewables is grateful to local residents for welcoming the Blue Canyon Wind Farm into their communities and being wonderful neighbors and partners to our company, as well.”

Circular economy is one of the key ESG priorities included in EDP Renewables’ 2021-2025 Strategic Update. In this sense, recycling of the decommissioned blades was a firm requirement from EDP Renewables in this repowering as the company is determined to accelerate the adoption of blade recycling practices across its projects.

EDP has adopted blade recycling which was deployed on this project and will be adopted across its projects.

Since coming online in 2003, Blue Canyon Wind Farm has produced enough electricity to power the equivalent of 94,000 average Oklahoma homes annually. The project generated more than $22.1 million in state and local tax revenue, paid local landowners more than $25.3 million and created 64 permanent jobs and 582 temporary construction jobs.

News item from EDP Renewables

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Credit: EDP Renewables

The 302-MW Indiana Crossroads Wind Farm, beginning commercial operations by the end of this year, will generate enough clean electricity to power the equivalent of more than 80,000 average Indiana homes annually. The project is comprised of 72 V150 4.2-MW Vestas turbines. White Construction, an IEA subsidiary, served as the balance of plant contractor.

“The state of Indiana, and specifically, White County, is essential to EDP’s portfolio and is one of the most important sites worldwide for EDP Renewables’ ongoing renewable energy development and operations efforts,” said Miguel Stilwell, CEO of EDPR. “One thing is very clear: Hoosiers are ready for more renewable energy, and EDP Renewables is ready to deliver.”

EDP Renewables has 1,200 MW of operating capacity in Indiana, with other wind and solar projects in late-stage development and under construction across the Hoosier state.

“The completion of Indiana Crossroads Wind Farm is a testament to the hard work and dedication from the many stakeholders who worked together to propel this project toward operation,” said Pablo Vegas, COO and president of utilities at NiSource. “Together with the communities we serve, NIPSCO and NiSource are driving forward with a diverse mix of renewable resources to provide a cleaner, reliable and lower-cost energy future for our customers.”

Indiana Crossroads Wind Farm was selected through a Request for Proposal solicitation that NIPSCO ran as part of its 2018 Integrated Resource Plan, which found that wind and solar resources represented lower-cost options for its customers in comparison to other energy resources.

“Renewable energy is our future, and the completion of Indiana Crossroads Wind Farm merited a celebration,” said State Representative Sharon Negele. “This project is a great example of how a County that has embraced clean energy can bring new jobs, new tax revenue, and new economic opportunities to their communities.”

News item from EDP Renewables North America 

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