Renewable Energy Systems Canada Inc. (RES Canada), a subsidiary of RES Americas, has completed the Greenwich Wind Energy Project located on Lake Superior’s Northern Shore in Ontario.
The Greenwich Wind Energy Project produced $50 million in revenue for native businesses and generated about 200 construction jobs. It is a restricted partnership jointly owned by RES Canada and Enbridge with Enbridge having a major share in the project. RES Canada developed the 99 MW project as per the agreement. The two companies have spent a total of $275 million for this project together.
The Greenwich Wind Energy Project is the second wind energy project in Canada for RES Canada. The 99MW Talbot windfarm, developed in December 2010 was the first project for RES Canada, and Enbridge holds a major share in the Talbot windfarm project.
The 99MW Greenwich Wind Energy Project has been designed to yield sufficient clean wind energy to supply power to nearly 33,000 households in Canada or produce approximately 300,000 MWh per year. It includes 43 Siemens SWT-2.3-101MW wind turbines and according to the conditions of the agreement, the turbines were developed by RES Canada at a fixed rate, engineering, turnkey, purchase and construction agreement. Siemens will offer operations as well as maintenance services under a five-year, fixed-rate agreement for the wind turbines. The project has capacity to save approximately 106,000 t of CO2 per year. It will provide power, under a 20-year Renewable Energy Supply III energy purchase agreement, to the Ontario Power Authority.
Andrew Fowler, RES Canada’s Chief Operating Officer, said that the project has been received positively by the community. He also added that while the Canadian Shield geology placed some construction challenges, Siemens, RES Canada and the sub-contractors collaborated together to ensure a quality project delivered ahead of schedule.