Inside US Wind - Vestas bags 537MW in one day

185MW in Maine

Vestas has received a firm and unconditional order in the United States for 47 V112-3.3 MW turbines to power the Bingham wind power plant in Somerset County, Maine. 

The total size of the Bingham project will be 185 MW, including components ordered from Vestas previously.  At 185 MW, Bingham will be largest wind energy project in New England when complete.

The order, placed by SunEdison, Inc. (NYSE: SUNE), includes supply and commissioning of the wind turbines as well as a 10-year Active Output Management (AOM) 5000 service agreement designed to maximize energy production.  Installation and commissioning of the turbines is expected in 2016. 

This order is a call-off from the December 2013 Master Supply Agreement (company announcement No. 54/2013) between Vestas and First Wind, which SunEdison acquired in 2015. This MSA for multiple U.S. projects has a potential totaling up to 718 MW.  With today’s order, Vestas has announced orders against that agreement representing 453 MW. 

“We’ve had an excellent track record with Vestas turbines in Maine,” said Paul Gaynor, SunEdison’s Executive Vice President for Europe, Americas and MENA.  “We’re glad to be moving ahead with what will be New England’s largest wind energy project.”
 
“New England suffers every year from high and extremely volatile energy prices,” says Chris Brown, President of Vestas’ sales and service division in the United States and Canada. “Wind power is available at a competitive price, with zero fuel cost.  Integrating wind into the New England electric power system protects consumers from future price instability introduced by overdependence on natural gas.  We are delighted to continue our strategic partnership with SunEdison, one of the most committed and resourceful renewable energy developers in the world.”

274MW in Texas:

SunEdison, Inc. has placed a firm and unconditional order in the United States for 83 V117-3.3 MW turbines to supply a wind power plant in Texas. 

The total capacity of the project, including equipment previously purchased from Vestas, will be 300 MW.  When complete, this installation will be the largest V117-3.3 MW project in the world.  The project’s scope includes supply and commissioning of the wind turbines as well as a 10-year Active Output Management (AOM) 5000 service agreement designed to maximize energy production.  Installation and commissioning of the turbines is expected in 2016. 

This order is a call-off from the Master Supply Agreement announced between Vestas and SunEdison in December 2014 (company announcement No. 48/2014) for multiple U.S. projects, the potential of which totals approximately 600 MW.  With today’s order, Vestas has announced contracts against that agreement representing 334 MW. 

To date, Vestas has secured more than 9 GW of orders for the 3 MW turbine platform globally. 

“We’re pleased to move forward with this project and to further our relationship with Vestas,” said Paul Gaynor, SunEdison’s Executive Vice President for Europe, Americas and MENA.  “We look forward to installing Vestas’ V117-3.3 MW turbines in Texas.  The Vestas turbines we have at other projects around the country have performed well and we expect this project to enjoy similar success.”
 
“Our 3 MW turbine platform is proving its versatility across a variety of North American wind regimes, and we are starting to see much broader deployment across the wind belt,” says Chris Brown, President of Vestas’ sales and service division in the United States and Canada. “This project will be its first deployment in the important Texas market, where the combination of a robust design, outstanding grid support, and a large rotor make this turbine the best choice to minimize the cost of energy throughout the life of the project.  We’re very happy to add this latest agreement to our growing strategic relationship with SunEdison.”

108MW in a third, undisclosed project:

Vestas has received a firm and unconditional order in the USA for 54 V110-2.0 MW turbines, totalling 108 MW.

The contract includes supply and commissioning of the wind turbines, as well as a five-year customised Active Output Management service agreement.

Delivery of the wind turbines is expected in third quarter of 2016, while commissioning is expected in fourth quarter of 2016.

These projects raise Vestas' total year-to-date announced orders to 4,217 MW.