Leeward Renewable Energy has announced the successful completion of the repowering of Leeward’s combined capacity 136-MW Sweetwater 1 & 2 wind farms in Nolan County, Texas. GE Renewable Energy is the wind-turbine provider for the project and GE Energy Financial Services provided tax-equity financing.
Repowering involved installing new technology to increase turbine efficiency, extend asset life, and reduce operating costs.
The Sweetwater 1 & 2 repowering program enhances performance by replacing major existing components and providing a material increase in annual energy production. Through the repowering project, the companies installed state-of-the-art technology at the facilities to increase the sites’ efficiency, reduce costs, and extend the life of some of Leeward’s oldest operating assets.
“Leeward is pleased to be one of the early leaders in wind project repowering, bringing new technology to our proven sites for the benefit of customers and communities,” said Greg Wolf, Leeward’s Chief Executive Officer. “GE brought new technology and deep project finance experience to make this repowering project work. With the passage of U.S. tax reform that continues to allow clean, low-cost wind investments, we look forward to continuing to partner with GE to grow and upgrade our portfolio.”
Sweetwater 1 & 2 wind facilities have been in operation since 2003 and 2005, respectively. The repowering of both projects was completed on December 29, 2017.
Pete McCabe, President & CEO of GE’s Onshore Wind Business, said: “GE’s repower offering for Sweetwater 1 & 2 enabled us to provide Leeward with increased reliability and availability for these turbines. We are delighted to collaborate with customers and bring new life and performance to existing assets, unleashing the potential of wind sites for years to come.”
GE Renewable Energy also provides operations and maintenance for the Sweetwater sites.
Filed Under: News, Projects, Repowering
