The project, as per the company is fully operational and is delivering electricity. It comprises 100 of Vestas’ 2.0MW turbines and is spread in area of about 34,000 acres.
EDF RE acquired the project from Infinity Wind in 2015, when it was in its early stages of development. During the construction period, EDF RE claims that the wind project has added more than $18m to the local economy in terms of supplies, equipment, utilities and fuel from local businesses.
Through the Minnesota Wind Energy Production Tax, the project will invest further a million dollars annually during its production life to the county and townships.
According to US Energy Information Administration, the wind project generates enough clean energy which can be supplied to about 92,000 Minnesota homes. It interconnects to Northern States Power’s Hawks Nest Lake Substation.
EDF Renewable Energy north region development vice president Kate O’Hair said: “The support of the Ivanhoe community has been tremendous.
“We are pleased to recognize the positive impact with over $18m in supplies, equipment, utilities and fuel sourced from local businesses during the construction phase and more than $20,000 contributed to local organizations to assist in their missions.”
EDF Renewable Services, a division of EDF RE and a provider of operations and maintenance services for renewable power plants in North America, will offer balance of plant O&M services for the wind project.
The Red Pine wind project, located in Lincoln County in southwest Minnesota, is the company’s 11th wind facility to be developed in the state.
Currently, EDF RE has 9GW of wind, solar, storage, biomass, and biogas projects developed in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
In December, the company started operations at the 154MW Rock Falls wind project in Kay and Grant Counties in northern Oklahoma.
Image: EDF’s 200MW Minnesota wind farm begins operations. Photo: Courtesy of EDF.
