Cimarron Bend Wind Farm

Cimarron Bend Wind Farm
Map
Official nameCimarron Bend Wind Farm
CountryUnited States
LocationClark County, Kansas
Coordinates37°21′18″N 99°59′28″W / 37.35500°N 99.99111°W / 37.35500; -99.99111
Construction beganApril 2016
Commission dateMarch 2017
Construction cost$610 million (I&II)
OwnerEnel Green Power
OperatorEnel Green Power
Wind farm
TypeOnshore
Power generation
Units operational274 turbines
Make and model200 Vestas V110-2.0 MW
74 -2.69 MW
Nameplate capacity599 MW
Capacity factor49.8% (average 2018-2020)
Annual net output2,560 GW·h
[edit on Wikidata]

The Cimarron Bend Wind Farm is a 599 megawatt (MW) wind farm spanning northwest Clark County in the U.S. state of Kansas.[1] It became the second largest wind generating facility in the state upon completion of the first two construction phases in early 2017.[2][3] The facility allowed the Kansas City Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to obtain more than 45% of its electricity needs from renewable sources.[4]

A wind turbine at the Cimarron Bend Wind Farm

Details

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The project was developed by the Kansas-based firm Tradewind Energy, which previously built a strategic partnership with the Italian-controlled firm Enel Green Power North America (EGPNA) that resulted in the construction of several wind farms throughout the state, including the Smoky Hills Wind Farm.[2] The electricity and tax credits from the first 200 MW phase are contracted with Google Inc., and those from the second 200 MW phase are contracted with the Kansas City BPU. A third 200 MW phase was also planned for development.[5]

The facility's first two phases span about 60,000 acres of farm and grazing land in the southwest region of the state near the town of Minneola. It includes 200 Vestas V110-2.0 MW wind turbines for which many components were manufactured in Colorado.[6] Construction of the facility started in April 2016 and employed about 350 local workers. Phase I was completed year end 2016 and phase II in late March 2017.[7] The ongoing operation and maintenance activities employ about 15 people.[8]

Construction was financed by Enel Green Power North America Renewable Energy Partners, an equally owned joint venture between EGPNA and GE Capital’s Energy Financial Services.[2] EGPNA obtained further investor financing through tax equity agreements with other U.S. financial institutions including Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, J.P. Morgan Chase, and MetLife.[8]

In early 2019, EGPNA acquired Tradewind Energy and its portfolio of future projects under development.[9][10] It also purchased GE's interest in their joint venture facilities, including the operating Cimmaron Bend Wind Farm.[11]

The facility was expanded to 599 MW in 2020, making it EGPNA's largest US wind farm.[1][12][13]

Electricity production

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Cimarron Bend Wind Electricity Generation (MW·h)
Year Cimarron Bend I
(200 MW) [14]		 Cimarron Bend II
(200 MW) [15]		 Cimarron Bend III
(199 MW) [16]		 Total Annual MW·h
2017 796,118 727,592* - 1,523,710
2018 787,258 877,905 - 1,665,163
2019 870,347 888,076 - 1,758,423
2020 901,692 908,455 - 1,810,147
Average Annual Production (years 2018–2020) ---> 1,744,578
Average Capacity Factor (years 2018–2020) ---> 49.8%

(*) partial year of operation
(NR) not yet reported

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Cimarron Bend Wind Farm, USA". Enel Green Power. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Enel Begins Operation in USA of Its Largest Wind Farm". Enel. March 31, 2017. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  3. ^ Doug Rich (April 3, 2017). "Cimarron Bend wind farm completed". High Plains Journal.
  4. ^ Paul Ciampoli (July 19, 2017). "Kansas City BPU exceeds 45 percent renewable energy threshold". American Public Power Association.
  5. ^ "Cimarron Bend III". Tradewind Energy. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  6. ^ "Cimarron Bend Wind Farm". thewindpower.net. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  7. ^ Paul Dvorak (January 4, 2017). "EGP-NA completes first 200 MW of Cimarron Bend, becomes the wind leader in Kansas". windpowerengineering.com.
  8. ^ a b "Cimarron Bend Wind Farm". power-technology.com. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  9. ^ James Dornbrook (March 6, 2019). "Tradewind sells big wind project in Kansas". Kansas City Business Journal.
  10. ^ Karl-Eric Stromsta (March 27, 2019). "Enel Green Power Acquires Long-Time US Development Partner Tradewind Energy". Green Tech Media.
  11. ^ Jason Deign (March 22, 2019). "GE Sells 650MW of Renewable Energy Assets to Enel, Despite Plans to Grow Renewables Arm". Green Tech Media.
  12. ^ "Enel Green Power brings online two new US wind farms". www.windtech-international.com. December 23, 2020.
  13. ^ James Dornbrook (December 21, 2020). "Kansas wind farm expansion brings more renewable energy to KC". Kansas City Business Journal.
  14. ^ "Cimarron Bend I, Annual". Electricity Data Browser. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  15. ^ "Cimarron Bend II, Annual". Electricity Data Browser. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  16. ^ "Cimarron Bend III, Annual". Electricity Data Browser. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
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