Google has announced its first direct investment in a large scale renewable energy project; two wind farms situated in the North Dakota plains. North Dakota is recognised as being the top U.S. state for wind energy potential. According to the American Wind Energy Association, the state is theoretically capable of producing enough wind-generated power to meet more than a quarter of U.S. electricity demand.
Google says through this USD$38.8 million investment and others to follow, the company aims to accelerate deployment of clean energy technology by providing more capital for developers to build additional projects, while also providing attractive returns to the company.
The wind farms generate 169.5 megawatts of clean electricity, enough to power more than 55,000 homes. Google says the farm utilizes cutting edge wind turbine technology and control systems to provide one of the lowest-cost sources of renewable energy to the local grid.
The wind turbines continuously adjust individual blade pitch angles to achieve optimal efficiency. Larger blades with 15 percent more swept area capture even more wind energy for each turbine. The control systems for the wind farms allow for remote 24/7 monitoring and operation to ensure maximum turbine up-time and power production.
The wind farms were developed by NextEra Energy Resources, a subsidiary of FPL Group, Inc, the largest wind generator in the USA. The company has wind farms in 17 US states and Canada. NextEra Energy Resources ended 2009 with more than 7,500 megawatts of installed wind capacity in the United States – enough to provide electricity to approximately 1.9 million households.
