One of the largest battery storage facilities in the world
Azure Sky wind + storage is Enel Green Power’s first wind + storage project globally and will feature one of the largest battery storage facilities in the world. Located in Throckmorton County, Texas, the project will boast 79 turbines and is expected to generate around 1.3 TWh of renewable energy each year. It will produce enough clean energy to meet the electricity needs of over 118,000 US households annually, thereby avoiding more than 842,000 tons of CO2 emissions a year. Operations are expected to commence during the first quarter of 2022.
Technology
Hybrid - Wind + Storage
Status
Under construction
Capacity
350 MW + 137 MWdc battery
Energy production
1.3 TWh annually
CO2 Emissions avoided
842,000 tons annually
Electricity Equivalent
+118,000 US households annually
Milestones
Corporate Partners
Akamai, MilliporeSigma, Synopsys and Uber
Four global leaders coming together for sustainability
Akamai, MilliporeSigma, Synopsys and Uber signed power purchase agreements with Enel Green Power for the total energy output of a 111 MW portion of the Azure Sky Wind project. This aggregation deal, a model which enables companies with smaller and more distributed energy needs to combine their renewable energy demand to collaboratively purchase renewable energy, is among one of the largest aggregations in the world.
Kellogg Company
Azure Sky wind + storage will provide the Kellogg Company with enough renewable energy to meet the electricity needs of 50% of its manufacturing operations globally by 2022. The 100 MW Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) will help the company reach its goal of using 100% renewable energy by 2050. Kellogg's renewable electricity purchase will avoid over 250,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions each year.
HP Hood
HP Hood signed a 12-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) to purchase 90 GWh of wind energy each year from the Azure Sky wind + storage project. The U.S. dairy company will purchase the electricity delivered to the grid by a 25 MW portion of the project. The energy purchased is equivalent to 33% of the electricity used across all 13 of its owned manufacturing facilities in 2020 and will support its commitment to effect positive environmental change throughout its operations and energy supply.
lululemon
Enel Green Power and lululemon signed a 15 MW virtual purchase agreement for renewable energy from the Azure Sky wind + storage project. The energy purchased is equivalent to the electricity needed to power 100% of lululemon’s direct operations in North America, including 380 stores, 6 offices and 5 distribution centers, and helps the athletic apparel company achieve its climate change goals around carbon reduction.
Community Impact
Enel Green Power is committed to creating long-term shared value and productivity for the Throckmorton County community. The project will create over 350 construction jobs during the building of the plant and 18 - 20 permanent full-time positions for its Operations & Maintenance (O&M).
As part of its $1.3 million commitment in response to the COVID-19 pandemic across the US and Canada, Enel Green Power developed initiatives to support community hospitals, schools and emergency responders in Texas.
Status of construction phase
Enel Green Power is committed to a Sustainable Construction Site model, which aims to minimize the impact of the plant's construction on the environment. When we build projects, we monitor sustainability performance for energy, waste and water management, and the economic impact on the local community.
Moreover, Enel Green Power is constantly monitoring the status of the COVID-19 pandemic; the Azure Sky wind + storage site has implemented safe working practices, strict travel guidelines, social distancing, office and project site sanitation, and other best practices to protect the health of its workers and the community in which it operates.
-
Workers >350
Workers >350 Construction jobs
-
Local Tax Revenue 57
Local Tax Revenue 57 Million dollars
-
Landowner Income 74
Landowner Income 74 Million dollars in income for landowners
Digital Initiatives
In building wind farms, we use innovative tools and techniques, such as construction machinery equipped with active safety systems, smart tracking, advanced digital platforms and tablet software solutions to monitor and remotely support site activities, as well as plant commissioning. These processes and tools will enable swifter, more accurate and reliable data collection, thereby improving the quality of construction and facilitating communication between on-site and off-site teams. Smart glasses and remote assistant applications are used to perform virtual site visits and safety inspections. Currently, we are in the process of using 360 cameras/Drones to gather more information about the site.