Aspenall Energies (Delaware), LLC completes 20 MW wind project repower in Southern Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota, September 1, 2022 — Aspenall Energies (Delaware), LLC (“Aspenall”) announced today the successful completion of the repower of its Ewington Wind project (the “Project”), located in Jackson County, Minnesota.
The 19.95 megawatt (MW) repower project consisted of repowering Suzlon S88 wind turbines, originally installed in 2008, with larger diameter GE Renewable Energy wind turbines, retaining and utilizing much of the existing wind turbines during the repowering. The upgrades include the latest technology from GE, enhancing turbine capacity, reliability, safety, and performance. The project will include a 20-year Full Service Agreement for the repowered turbines. The repowered project will provide approximately 87,000 MWh of clean electricity annually to Minnesota residents and eliminate approximately 1.13 million metric tons of carbon dioxide over its lifespan.
The Project was initially developed in 2008 by local landowners and John Deere Renewables and was acquired by Aspenall from Exelon Corporation in July 2020. In November 2020, Aspenall negotiated and executed a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Xcel Energy as part of a request for proposals issued pursuant to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission's (PUC) Inquiry into Utility Investments that May Assist in Minnesota’s Economic Recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic. The new PPA, which replaces and substitutes a prior agreement, contemplated the repowering of the Project and the extension of the PPA term. Aspenall agreed to a lower initial per-megawatt-hour rate, so the Project resulted in a reduced rate and greater electricity production, all to the benefit of Minnesota electricity consumers. Repower construction began in July 2021 and was undertaken by GE Renewable Energy and Boldt using local trade unions as required by the PPA and in compliance with the provisions of the PUC.
“We are happy to announce that the Ewington Wind repower project successfully achieved commercial operation on schedule. This was the first repowering of a Suzlon project with GE equipment and required cooperation and collaboration among many different parties, including Jackson County government officials, residents, Xcel Energy, and various contractors. The project will continue to provide economic benefits to Jackson County and the local community for decades to come,” said John Brown, Chief Development Officer for Aspenall.
“We’re proud to participate in this exciting repower project,” said Ben Stafford, GE Renewable Energy’s GM, Services Sales for Onshore Wind. “Repowering turbines substantially increases the production of wind turbines while also extending the life of the wind farm. This will help to bring affordable, reliable, sustainable energy to Jackson County and the local community for many years to come.”
“The Ewington Wind project has been a great investment in the community,” said Chris Clark, president of Xcel Energy, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. “We are pleased that the project will serve our customers with affordable, clean energy for years to come as we move toward our goal of delivering 100% carbon-free electricity to all customers by 2050.”
About Aspenall
Aspenall Energies (Delaware), LLC (“Aspenall”) was founded in 2007 and is a subsidiary of Treehouse Investments, LLC, a minority-owned, boutique infrastructure firm dedicated to addressing climate change. Aspenall develops, owns, and operates decentralized renewable energy generation projects throughout the Midwest. Its headquarters are located in Minneapolis.
For more information, please visit www.aspenall.com and www.treehouseinvestments.com.
About Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices.
For more information, visit xcelenergy.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
About GE Renewable Energy
GE Renewable Energy is a $16 billion business which combines one of the broadest portfolios in the renewable energy industry to provide end-to-end solutions for our customers demanding reliable and affordable green power. Combining onshore and offshore wind, blades, hydro, storage, utility-scale solar, and grid solutions as well as hybrid renewables and digital services offerings, GE Renewable Energy has installed more than 400+ gigawatts of clean renewable energy and equipped more than 90 percent of utilities worldwide with its grid solutions. With nearly 40,000 employees present in more than 80 countries, GE Renewable Energy creates value for customers seeking to power the world with affordable, reliable and sustainable green electrons.
Follow us at www.ge.com/renewableenergy, on www.linkedin.com/company/gerenewableenergy, or on twitter.com/GErenewables.
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Media Contact:
Raoul G. Slavin Juliá, Managing Director
Aspenall Energies (Delaware), LLC
612-236-4271 | info@aspenall.com