Spanish Firm to Build Largest Windfarm in the World in Argentina
Spanish energy firm Grupo Guascor (Madrid) recently announced that it will build a $2.4 billion wind power project in Patagonia in southern Argentina. Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, TX) reports that the windfarm, which would be the largest in the world, will produce between 600 and 900 megawatts (MW) using 700 wind turbines, or double the size of the largest windfarm currently operational in Europe, Planning Ministry officials said. The plant will be built in Santa Cruz province where strong winds create favorable conditions for wind power development.
According to the project schedule, the facility will produce 300 MW of electricity by the end of 2010, and the remaining capacity will be operational by the end of 2011. Grupo Guascor authorities said construction is expected to begin in 12 months and last about three years. The project agreement was signed during a ceremony held in Rio Gallegos, Santa Cruz, headed by Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. Preliminary permits are currently being sought, and project financing would come from private Spanish funds, officials said.
Argentina currently has about 29 MW of wind power capacity. With this project, the country will become Latin America's leader in renewable energy, excluding hydropower. The project also represents an important boost for the country's power sector, which has been marked by a lack of funds and unstable pricing structure. The project will create up to 300 permanent jobs and 900 indirect jobs.
