Wind-turbine installation and service company, Global Wind Service (GWS), has been contracted by KranWind LLC, to work on the Bearkat I Renewable Energy Project in Texas, U.S. The 197.6-MW project, consisting of 57x V126 3.45 MW turbines, is the first project in the U.S. where GWS has been contracted to deliver the full installation scope. This includes installation, completion, tooling, HSEQ, and project management.

Startup of a local business unit in the U.S. during 2017 is part of GWS’ growth strategy. A local workforce of 60+ technicians has been employed to support both Bearkat I and future projects. The new office will temporarily be located in Chicago while GWS is looking for the right location. Michael Nielsen, co-founder of GWS is acting interim Area Manager during the establishment and will help ensure the transfer of GWS values and DNA to the new business unit.

“We are very excited about this opportunity. The U.S. wind market holds an enormous potential for development and growth making it the natural next step for GWS. Growth has always been an important part of our DNA and we are constantly developing our company to meet the needs of our clients. It has long been our ambition to establish ourselves on the U.S. market, so the Bearkat I project was the perfect opportunity for our market entry,” said Michael Nielsen.

GWS is, however, not the only Danish company involved in the Bearkat I project. The wind farm is owned by the Danish Fund ‘Copenhagen Infrastructure II K/S’; Vestas is delivering the 57 turbines for the site and the craning is carried out by the Danish/American KranWind LLC, a joint venture between BMS (DK) and Buckner (USA).

The Bearkat Wind Farm comprises of 30,000 acres of privately owned land in Glasscock Country, Texas.

It is developed by Tri Global Energy using its proprietary business model, the Wind Force Plan, which gives local landowners and community investors the opportunity to partner with and have a substantial ownership in the wind project development leasing their land.

The project is one of various projects in the U.S. for GWS. In 2016, a highly experienced GWS team installed five GE Haliade 150, 6-MW turbines in only 19 days at Block Island – the first offshore project in U.S. wind history.