Enel, through its subsidiary Enel Green Power North America (EGPNA), has started operations of two US wind farms, totalling 620MW.
The 320MW Rattlesnake Creek wind farm is the company’s first wind plant in the state of Nebraska.
In addition EGPNA has also brought online the 300MW Diamond Vista wind farm in Kansas.
Enel Green Power head Antonio Cammisecra said: “With the completion of Rattlesnake Creek and Diamond Vista, we have now added more than 800MW of new wind capacity in 2018 in the US, strengthening our growth in the country and confirming our position as partner of choice for commercial and industrial customers.
“These projects further demonstrate our ability to develop customised solutions that best meet the renewable energy needs of our customers.”
The Rattlesnake Creek wind farm, located in Dixon County, is fully contracted with long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs), under which Adobe will purchase the energy from a 10MW portion through 2028.
Facebook will gradually buy the wind farm’s full output by 2029.
The agreement enables Facebook to power its data centre in Papillion, Nebraska with 100% renewable energy.
The Diamond Vista wind farm, located in Marion and Dickinson Counties, is supported by three separate long-term PPAs.
The electricity and renewable energy credits from a 100MW portion of the wind farm will be sold to global manufacturing company Kohler to supply 100% of the annual electricity needed to power the company’s US and Canadian operations.
These include Kohler’s 85 factories, offices and warehouses, while reducing Kohler’s global greenhouse gas emissions by more than 25%.
Additionally, the output and renewable energy credits from another 100MW portion of the facility will be sold to City Utilities of Springfield.
Electricity from an 84MW portion will be supplied to Tri-County Electric Cooperative of Oklahoma.
In addition, EGPNA signed tax equity agreements with Bank of America Merrill Lynch and JP Morgan for the Rattlesnake Creek and Diamond Vista wind farms. The two investment banks will purchase 100% of the “Class B” equity interests of Rattlesnake Creek for around $334 million.
Under a separate agreement, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and JP Morgan will also purchase 100% of the “Class B” equity interests of Diamond Vista for $317 million.
Enel retains 100% ownership of the “Class A” interests, as well as control over the management and operation of both wind farms.