MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Geronimo Energy
(Geronimo), a wholly owned subsidiary of National Grid Plc (NYSE:
NGG), announced today the start of commercial operations for its
Crocker Wind Farm (Crocker), a 200 megawatt (MW) wind energy
project located in Clark County, South
Dakota. Crocker has Virtual Power Purchase Agreements
(VPPAs) in place with leading corporations, Walmart and Cargill.
The project was built by Wanzek Construction and utilizes GE
2.7-116 wind turbines.
"Crocker coming online represents the culmination of many years
of collaboration with the community and has and will continue to
bring economic development to rural South
Dakota," said Blake Nixon,
Chief Executive Officer for Geronimo Energy. "Crocker is unique in
that it is 100% contracted by corporate Virtual Power Purchase
Agreements. Increasingly more corporations are making the choice to
include renewable energy procurement in their sustainability goals
- and Geronimo is proud to be playing a role in our industry's
continued growth and expansion into corporate power
purchasing."
Geronimo began working with local landowners to develop Crocker
with the intent to positively impact its local and state host
communities. Crocker is estimated to have provided hundreds of
millions of dollars in economic impact throughout the development
and construction phases, including job creation, increased local
spending, and capital infrastructure improvements. In the first 20
years of operation, the project is anticipated to further benefit
the economy with tens of millions in tax revenue, landowner
payments, and new full-time job creation, as well as $800,000 in charitable funding.
"Sourcing from wind energy projects – like the Crocker Wind Farm
– brings Walmart closer to our goal to be supplied by 50 percent
renewable energy by 2025," said Mark
Vanderhelm, Vice President of Energy for Walmart. "The
energy we'll procure from this facility represents a significant
step in our renewable energy journey."
"We're excited to see the Crocker Wind Farm begin operations,"
said Peter Dahm, Cargill's
Sustainability Director for Operations and Natural Resources. "Not
only will the wind farm play a vital role in helping us reduce our
greenhouse gas emissions, we're also proud of the positive impact
it will have on the Clark county
community and helping local landowners diversify their source of
income."
About Geronimo Energy
Geronimo Energy, a National Grid
company, is a leading North American renewable energy development
company based in Minneapolis,
Minnesota, with satellite offices located throughout
multiple states in the regions where it develops, constructs, and
operates. As a farmer-friendly and community driven company,
Geronimo develops projects for corporations and utilities that seek
to repower America's grid by reigniting local economies and
reinvesting in a sustainable future. Geronimo has developed over
2,400 megawatts of wind and solar projects that are either
operational or currently under construction, resulting in an
investment of over $4 billion in
critical energy infrastructure and the revitalization of rural
economies. Geronimo has a vast development pipeline of wind and
solar projects in various stages of development throughout
the United States. Please visit
www.geronimoenergy.com to learn more.
Contact:
|
Lindsay T.
Smith
|
|
Geronimo
Energy
|
|
7650 Edinborough Way,
Suite 725
|
|
Edina, MN
55435
|
|
952.988.9000
|
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SOURCE Geronimo Energy