Acciona wins 1,300 MW in new U.S. projects

Spanish construction firm Acciona, the world's largest wind power developer, says it has won rights to develop 1,300 megawatts (MW) of wind assets in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Acciona has acquired projects from EcoEnergy, an alternative energy solutions developer and unit of The Morse Group, and says it plans to be a long-term owner and operator of wind developments and renewable energy solutions.

Acciona plans to install approximately 150 MW in 2008, a development it said would help Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with traditional electric generation facilities.

Acciona is to supply its own wind turbines for the development projects from its new U.S. production facility in Iowa.

Peter Duprey, CEO of Acciona Energy North America, said the deal "fits extremely well with the addition of our wind turbine manufacturing facility in Iowa and leveraging the local support for wind energy in the Midwest."

Acciona recently began construction of its first wind turbine manufacturing plant in the U.S. in West Branch, Iowa. Due for completion by year's end, the plant will supply turbines for the company's wind farms throughout North America.

The West Branch facility will be Acciona's fourth wind turbine assembly plant, with two already on stream in Spain and one in China.

Acciona Energy is the largest wind developer in the world, with a portfolio of 4,653 megawatts installed in 173 wind farms in 10 countries.

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