US aerospace company Spirit AeroSystems is to source 100% renewable energy for its Wichita manufacturing plant in Kansas from the 130MW Flat Ridge 3 wind farm.
Utility regulators at the Kansas Corporation Commission have approved the 10-year deal between Spirit and utility Evergy that will start in late 2020, when the wind farm is completed.
Evergy signed a deal with Flat Ridge 3 developer AEP in January to buy the output from the project.
The 390,000-square-metre Wichita site is Spirit AeroSystems’ headquarters and also produces large structural components, such as fuselages and engine nacelles for military and commercial aircraft.
Spirit AeroSystems senior vice president for operations and chief procurement officer Ron Rabe said: “Kansas is known for wind, and Spirit Wichita is known for building airplanes.
“The two will now be directly connected in a way that helps both the environment and our ability to compete.
“This new agreement is important to Spirit because it helps maintain the company as a vibrant and growing contributor to the Kansas economy.
“The new electric rates we will be paying address price disadvantages for electric service Spirit has experienced in Kansas compared to our operations in other states.”
In March, Evergy inked a deal to supply 55MW of electricity to Textron Aviation from the 300MW Soldier Creek wind farm also in Kansas.