ALLETE is set to nearly double its wind capacity to more than 1,000 MW with three new wind farms under construction in 2019 and 2020.

ALLETE Clean Energy is poised to nearly double its carbon-free wind capacity to more than 1,000 MW with three new wind farms under construction in 2019 and 2020. Its renewable wind projects will support the economies of local, rural communities in seven states with jobs, taxes, donations and volunteer activities.

“American Wind Week is a great opportunity to celebrate the advances in renewable, carbon-free wind power across our company, our industry and our country,” said ALLETE Clean Energy President Allan S. Rudeck Jr. “The wind energy industry is creating meaningful economic growth for state and local governments, landowner partners, vendors and employees across the country.”

ALLETE’s new projects include the Diamond Spring wind site in Oklahoma that will sell renewable wind power to Walmart, Starbucks and Smithfield Foods; Diamond Spring will be the largest wind facility owned by ALLETE Clean Energy – producing enough power for 114,000 homes, and increasing ALLETE Clean Energy’s total wind capacity to approximately 1,000 MW at nine sites.

Other projects are the Glen Ullin wind site in North Dakota that will sell energy to Northern States Power, an Xcel Energy subsidiary; and the South Peak wind farm in Montana that will sell its wind power to NorthWestern Energy.

“These opportunities will continue to grow as society demands cleaner forms of energy,” added Rudeck. “Our ALLETE Clean Energy team is committed to answering the call to transform the nation’s energy landscape while creating growth for communities where we operate and building value for ALLETE shareholders and our customers.”

Wind technician is the second-fastest growing occupation in America, and ALLETE Clean Energy’s continued growth and investment in clean energy means the company will soon need wind technicians in Oklahoma, North Dakota and Montana while maintaining its current sites in Pennsylvania, Iowa, Oregon and Minnesota. The company has grown from four employees in 2011 to more than 80 in 2019, while delivering increasing amounts of clean and affordable energy to its customers.

As a Yellow Ribbon company, ALLETE Clean Energy also is committed to hiring and supporting veterans, military members and their families. With their technical skills and team-oriented work experience, veterans and service members find jobs in the renewable wind sector at a 67% higher rate than in other industries.

“Our talented employees are at the heart of our success, and as we grow there will be more opportunities to join our team,” said Rudeck.

Wind power is America’s No. 1 source of renewable energy. In celebration, the American Wind Energy Association hosts an annual “American Wind Week” with a wide variety of events around the country that show how wind works for all Americans. The U.S. is where utility-scale wind turbines were invented. America has become a global leader in wind power, with some of the best wind resources and the most productive wind turbines in the world.

ALLETE Clean Energy is a member company of the American Wind Energy Association that acquires, develops and operates clean and renewable energy projects. ALLETE Clean Energy currently owns and operates, in four states, approximately 550 MW of nameplate capacity wind energy generation that is contracted for various durations. ALLETE Clean Energy also engages in the development of wind energy facilities to operate under long-term contracts or for sale to others upon completion.

The post ALLETE celebrates record-setting construction year during American Wind Week appeared first on Windpower Engineering & Development.

The Smithfield agreement follows an earlier announcement of power sale agreements with two large Fortune 500 companies: Walmart and Starbucks.

• Walmart has agreed to purchase 175 MW for 15 years
• Smithfield will purchase 75 MW for 12 years
• Starbucks will purchase 50 MW for 15 year

“ALLETE Clean Energy is proud to help these leading companies meet their greenhouse gas reduction and renewable energy goals through the carbon-free energy that will be generated at Diamond Spring,” said ALLETE Clean Energy President Allan S. Rudeck Jr. “In addition to adding renewable energy to meet sustainability goals, these companies also seek to lower their energy costs.”

The approximately 300-MW Diamond Spring site, which is ALLETE Clean Energy’s first project to sell wind power to corporate customers, is now fully contracted with the Smithfield agreement.

Diamond Spring will be ALLETE Clean Energy’s largest wind site when operations begin in 2020. ALLETE Clean Energy will begin construction late this year or in early 2020. Diamond Spring will produce enough power for 114,000 homes, and increase the company’s total wind capacity to more than 1,000 MW at nine sites in seven states.

ALLETE Clean Energy purchased a 100% interest in the Diamond Spring wind site from the project’s developer, Apex Clean Energy. The purchase included negotiated power sales agreements with Walmart, Starbucks, and Smithfield.

Corporate and industrial customers represent a growing market for independent power producers as companies embrace sustainability goals.

Smithfield, a $15 billion global food company and the world’s largest hog producer and pork processor, announced a goal in 2016 to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 25% by 2025. To help reach that goal, the company created Smithfield Renewables, a platform that unifies and accelerates the company’s carbon reduction and renewable energy efforts.

“This partnership to source renewable energy is part of our multifaceted and comprehensive approach to reduce our carbon footprint,” said Kraig Westerbeek, senior director of Smithfield Renewables and hog production environmental affairs at Smithfield. “The carbon-free energy generated through the Diamond Spring project is projected to account for more than 15% of our total energy usage across the United States, allowing us to power a substantial portion of our operations using sustainable energy.”

Walmart has committed to cover 50% of its energy needs with renewable sources by 2025 as it works toward an ultimate goal of operating with 100% renewable energy.

“Walmart aspires to be supplied by 100% renewable energy, and sourcing from wind energy projects — like the Diamond Spring wind facility — is a core component in the mix,” said Mark Vanderhelm, Vice President of Energy for Walmart Inc. “The energy we’ll procure from this facility represents an important leap forward on our renewable energy journey and reinforces Walmart’s broader mission to spark collective action — alongside key partners — to drive environmental sustainability.”

“When Diamond Spring comes online in 2020, it will serve three new corporate customers and deliver meaningful earnings growth for ALLETE shareholders,” added ALLETE Chairman and CEO Alan R. Hodnik. “ALLETE Clean Energy continues to help achieve ALLETE’s shared purpose to answer the call to transform the nation’s energy landscape.”

ALLETE Clean Energy’s strategic purchase of wind turbines that qualify for the safe harbor provision of federal production tax credits enables Diamond Spring’s low energy costs. In addition to turbines to be installed at Diamond Spring, ALLETE Clean Energy retains more safe harbor turbines for additional wind site development.

The post ALLETE makes deal with Smithfield Food for Oklahoma wind power appeared first on Windpower Engineering & Development.

Diamond Spring Wind is a 303-MW wind project in southern Oklahoma, and will become ALLETE’s largest owned wind facility. 

The success of Diamond Spring Wind, a 303-MW project located in Oklahoma’s Johnston and Pontotoc Counties, demonstrates the growing commercial and industrial (C&I) demand for clean energy solutions. The executed power purchase agreements represent up to 228 MW, with the remaining project capacity also anticipated to serve the C&I market.

“Corporations are taking a clear leadership position in curbing carbon emissions, and we applaud them for aggressively working to achieve their sustainability goals,” said Mark Goodwin, president and CEO of Apex Clean Energy. “Apex is proud to partner with ALLETE at Diamond Spring Wind, one of several Apex projects this year that is expected to help leaders in the commercial and industrial sectors meet their clean energy commitments.”

Diamond Spring Wind will be the largest wind facility owned by ALLETE Clean Energy and will increase the company’s total wind energy portfolio to approximately 1,000 MW.

“Serving the corporate and industrial market opens new opportunities for ALLETE Clean Energy,” said ALLETE Clean Energy President Allan S. Rudeck, Jr. “The southern Oklahoma location is strategic in that it provides a new beach-head in the highly attractive Southwest Power Pool where significant potential exists for serving new customers in the utility and corporate and industrial segments. We are pleased to be working with Apex Clean Energy to bring Diamond Spring to market.”

ALLETE Clean Energy will begin construction on Diamond Spring Wind this year, and the project will enter commercial operations in 2020. Diamond Spring Wind is expected to contribute more than $48million in tax revenue to the local communities and more than $54 million in lease payments to landowners.

The post ALLETE buys Apex’s Diamond Spring Wind project in Oklahoma appeared first on Windpower Engineering & Development.