Reports related to this article:
Project(s): View 7 related projects in PECWeb
Plant(s): View 5 related plants in PECWeb
Released October 27, 2016 | SUGAR LAND
en
Written by John Egan for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Oklahoma has the nation's fourth-highest amount of installed wind-generation capacity, 5,453 megawatts (MW), and another six projects valued at more than $1 billion are under construction. When those projects are brought online, Oklahoma expects to surpass California and become the state with the third-largest fleet of wind turbines, trailing only Texas and Iowa, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) (Washington, D.C.).
"We're looking to see Oklahoma and Kansas both make jumps in the rankings, in terms of overall installed capacity, by the end of this year," said Hannah Hunt, senior analyst for industry data at the wind association, to The Oklahoman newspaper.
Wind's fortune in Oklahoma could gust even higher, as there are more than a dozen additional projects under development, valued at more than $5 billion. But that sum includes the long-delayed $1.5 billion North Buffalo Windfarm, which is being developed by Gestamp Wind North America (Houston, Texas), the U.S. unit of Corporacion Gestamp (Madrid, Spain). The three-phase North Buffalo Windfarm would have a total generating capacity of about 747 MW, but is years behind schedule; it is not even clear if it has obtained the necessary permitting. At this point, the first phase of that project is scheduled to begin turning dirt near the end of 2018, and to be operating by mid-2020.
Aside from North Buffalo, Industrial Info is tracking the following Oklahoma windfarms under development:
Oklahoma also has more than a dozen wind-power projects that have been cancelled or placed on hold. The economic viability of those projects, valued at about $3.47 billion, could be enhanced by the late-2015 extension of the PTC. For more on that issue, see January 15, 2016, article - Extension of PTC and ITC Could Bring Some Renewable Energy Projects Back from the Dead.
A proposed high-voltage merchant transmission line, the $2.5 billion Plains & Eastern Clean Line, is expected to carry some of this new wind power from Oklahoma to the southeastern U.S. The 700-mile, high-voltage direct current (HVDC) line is expected to begin construction late next year and to be operating by 2020. It will have the ability to transport up to 3,500 MW of renewable energy from Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle to Arkansas, Tennessee and other states in the Middle South and southeastern U.S.
That project has been opposed by regulators in Arkansas, but the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) (Washington, D.C.) intervened, overriding the objections of the state's regulators and elected officials. For more on that intervention, see April 18, 2016, article - Energy Department Supports Interstate Power Transmission Project, Clearing a Path Forward. For more on the Plains & Eastern project, see March 19, 2014, article - Clean Line Energy to Move Wind Power via $2 Billion Plains & Eastern Transmission Line.
"Oklahoma has a high-quality wind resource, and supportive tax treatment has helped several wind-power projects move forward," said Britt Burt, Industrial Info's vice president of research for the global Power industry. "The future holds a lot of promise for wind-power development in the Sooner State, but building that transmission line is essential for the state to export some of its wind-power wealth."
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, five offices in North America and 10 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn. For more information on our coverage, send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.com or visit us online at http://www.industrialinfo.com.
"We're looking to see Oklahoma and Kansas both make jumps in the rankings, in terms of overall installed capacity, by the end of this year," said Hannah Hunt, senior analyst for industry data at the wind association, to The Oklahoman newspaper.
Wind's fortune in Oklahoma could gust even higher, as there are more than a dozen additional projects under development, valued at more than $5 billion. But that sum includes the long-delayed $1.5 billion North Buffalo Windfarm, which is being developed by Gestamp Wind North America (Houston, Texas), the U.S. unit of Corporacion Gestamp (Madrid, Spain). The three-phase North Buffalo Windfarm would have a total generating capacity of about 747 MW, but is years behind schedule; it is not even clear if it has obtained the necessary permitting. At this point, the first phase of that project is scheduled to begin turning dirt near the end of 2018, and to be operating by mid-2020.
Aside from North Buffalo, Industrial Info is tracking the following Oklahoma windfarms under development:
- Rush Springs Wind Energy Center, a 250-MW, $500 million project being developed by a unit of NextEra Energy Incorporated (NYSE:NEE) (Juno Beach, Florida). This project, located in Grady County, began site preparation in mid-2016 and is scheduled to be generating electricity by the end of 2016.
- North Rim Wind Windfarm, a 250-MW, $500 million project scheduled to be built in Beckham County. That project plans to use 109 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 2.3 MW. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2018, and to be completed by late 2018. This project is being developed by Apex Clean Energy (Charlottesville, Virginia).
- Campbell Creek Windfarm, another 250-MW, $500 million project being developed by Apex Clean Energy, is scheduled to be built in Kingfisher County. The developer expects to begin construction in early 2018 and to finish by year-end 2019.
- Balko Wind Farm, a 200-MW, $400 million project scheduled to be built in Beaver County, also is being developed by Apex Clean Energy. The plant owner is the D.E. Shaw Group (New York, New York). Construction is scheduled to kick off in early 2018 and to conclude by mid-2019.
Oklahoma also has more than a dozen wind-power projects that have been cancelled or placed on hold. The economic viability of those projects, valued at about $3.47 billion, could be enhanced by the late-2015 extension of the PTC. For more on that issue, see January 15, 2016, article - Extension of PTC and ITC Could Bring Some Renewable Energy Projects Back from the Dead.
A proposed high-voltage merchant transmission line, the $2.5 billion Plains & Eastern Clean Line, is expected to carry some of this new wind power from Oklahoma to the southeastern U.S. The 700-mile, high-voltage direct current (HVDC) line is expected to begin construction late next year and to be operating by 2020. It will have the ability to transport up to 3,500 MW of renewable energy from Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle to Arkansas, Tennessee and other states in the Middle South and southeastern U.S.
That project has been opposed by regulators in Arkansas, but the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) (Washington, D.C.) intervened, overriding the objections of the state's regulators and elected officials. For more on that intervention, see April 18, 2016, article - Energy Department Supports Interstate Power Transmission Project, Clearing a Path Forward. For more on the Plains & Eastern project, see March 19, 2014, article - Clean Line Energy to Move Wind Power via $2 Billion Plains & Eastern Transmission Line.
"Oklahoma has a high-quality wind resource, and supportive tax treatment has helped several wind-power projects move forward," said Britt Burt, Industrial Info's vice president of research for the global Power industry. "The future holds a lot of promise for wind-power development in the Sooner State, but building that transmission line is essential for the state to export some of its wind-power wealth."
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, five offices in North America and 10 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn. For more information on our coverage, send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.com or visit us online at http://www.industrialinfo.com.
