(Source: Shutterstock.com)
BP completed a technology upgrade at its Fowler Ridge 1 wind farm in northwest Indiana, enabling the site to produce more power efficiently and with greater reliability, according to a Nov. 20 press release.
The project involved upgrading 40 turbines, including installing 120 individual blades and 40 new nacelles, which house power generation equipment and transformers atop the wind towers. According to BP, capital investment towards the project came to approximately $100 million and meets the company’s expected returns for renewables.
The new Vestas turbines are expected to produce up to 40% more energy and are estimated to generate an average of 314,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually—enough renewable electricity to potentially power around 27,000 homes—the release stated.
"This project is a substantial upgrade for the wind farm and another investment in BP’s low-carbon energy future,” said Orlando Alvarez, chairman and president of BP. “It shows BP’s strategy in action—contributing to a more secure, affordable and lower carbon energy mix while pursuing our net zero ambition."
BP plans to recycle the decommissioned blades by shredding and blending them with raw materials to make cement products, the release added.
“Repowering wind projects offers an optimal solution for ageing fleets by increasing the annual energy production and expanding the lifespan of a project—a critical component of the clean energy transition,” said Ramit Bajaj, senior vice president of construction and operations for Vestas.
BP operates three Fowler Ridge wind farms, which collectively have 355 turbines generating enough power to support approximately 195,000 Indiana homes annually, the release added.
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