Acciona Energy has started constructing the largest wind farm in Latin America, a 250 MW facility in Oaxaca, Mexico.
The Spain-based renewable energy firm has inaugurated the first stage of the Eurus project, which will consist of 167 Acciona WIndpower 1.5 MW turbines. Acciona is developing the project in partnership with Mexican cement company Cemex, whose facilities the wind farm will supply.
Acciona has already installed 37 MW at the site in Juchitán, southern Mexico, on an estate that covers 2500 ha. The completed wind farm will be in operation in the fourth quarter of 2009.
The power generated by the Eurus wind farm would be enough to cover the power needs of a city of 500 000 people and will avoid the equivalent emission of 600 000 t CO2/year. The plant will cover 25 per cent of the energy requirements of Cemex in Mexico.
Acciona is investing $550 million in the project.