Spain will now supply wind power to US market

Gamesa’s US headquarters will be based in Philadelphia and a technology manufacturing facility for wind turbine generator blades will also be set up in Pennsylvania.

The company has negotiated power purchase agreements worth around 400 MW with the Governor, which is enough clean electricity to power around 135,000 homes. It has also forwarded letters of intent to sell wind generated power to US utilities firms in the state, which will make much more clean electricity available to consumers on the Pennsylvanian power grid.

Chief Executive Officer of Gamesa, Inaki Lopez Gandasequi, revealed the company’s takeover plan: “Similar to our achieving industry leader status in the wind energy business in Spain, our intention is to advance to all corners of the North American marketplace from our new Pennsylvanian base.”

Edward Rendell, Governor of Pennsylvania, is developing a plan to ensure that, in ten years time, at least 10% of the state’s energy comes from renewable sources. He said that energy issues had always been a priority for his administration because he felt clean energy was beneficial to the environment, economy and national security.

“America’s energy past is grounded here in Pennsylvania, where we led the US with coal and oil. The nation’s future is here too. We are leaders in wind energy production and are gaining fast in the development of fuel cells and other clean technologies,” Governor Rendell stated.

Pennsylvania is currently a renewable energy leader on the East Coast of America, with its wind farm production capacity at around 129 MW, which is enough to power almost 45,000 homes, and a 49 MW increase on that is scheduled for next year.

Together with the construction, operation and maintenance of its wind farms, Gamesa’s offices and factory are estimated to create up to 1,000 jobs over the next five years.

By Jane Kettle