Buffett backs 160MW Goldwind project
Goldwind has won backing from US billionaire Warren Buffett for a 160MW project in Texas, which has reached financial close.
The Chinese firm's $250m Rattlesnake Wind project in McCulloch County has received tax equity financing from MidAmerican Wind Tax Equity Holdings, which is a subsidiary of US billionaire Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Energy, and from global bank Citi.
Rattlesnake Wind is set to be made up of 64 of Goldwind's 2.5MW turbines. The project would be the Chinese manufacturer's largest in the US when commissioned.
Launch for German blockchain pilot
Four firms have teamed up in Germany to trial a project that uses blockchain to help better integrate wind farms into the grid.
Grid operator TenneT is working with energy group Sonnen on a network of residential solar batteries that could help meet electricity demand when wind farms are not producing energy or when the grid is under strain. The system, co-developed by IBM and Dutch green energy firm Vandenbron, uses blockchain to record micro-transactions made when the batteries supply electricity to the grid.
Blockchain is used to measure transactions using digital currency bitcoin, for example.
To find out more about blockchain and wind, read this Wind Watch.
Infinergy to grow project to 95MW
Infinergy has set out plans to extend its Lochluichart Wind Farm in Scotland to total headline capacity of 95MW.
The UK developer is planning eight-turbine extension between its 69MW Lochluichart Wind Farm and EDF's neighbouring 61MW Corriemoillie Wind Farm, which is currently under construction.
Lochluichart has already been extended once, between 2012 and 2014. Lochluichart Wind Farm Extension II is set to measure up to 26MW and is now in its initial consultation phase.
Indonesia plans 16 new wind farms
A partnership between Indonesia and Denmark could result in 16 wind farms being built in Indonesia, its energy minister has said.
Indonesian energy minister Ignasius Jonan said it was more cost-effective to power the southeast Asian nation's islands using local wind farms rather than connect them to a centralised grid. Jonan said Indonesia has about 800 inhabited islands that require supply of energy, and the country is now mapping their wind potential.
Last September, Indonesia’s national electricity company PT PLN signed an agreement with a Danish consortium led by electricity company Equis to develop a 60MW wind farm in the South Sulawesi region, which is scheduled to complete by 2018.
Egypt opens race for 250MW project
The Egyptian government has started the pre-qualification process for contractors for an up-to-250MW wind farm in the Gulf of Suez.
The government’s New & Renewable Energy Authority is seeking bids by 29 May for contractors to design, build and operate a project of between 200MW and 250MW.
The NREA has already secured financial commitments for the project, called Gulf of Suez 1 wind farm, from the European Investment Bank and German bank KfW.
Wind Watch
Wind Watch is published every Monday and Friday.
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