Siemens Canada said it has expanded its wind power footprint in Canada to the Province of Alberta via an agreement for Mainstream Renewable Power’s Oldman 2 wind project.
Under this deal, Siemens will supply, deliver and commission 20 SWT-2.3-101 wind turbines with a hub height of 80 metres and blade length of 49 metres.
Mainstream is currently building the wind farm and will operate it for its lifecycle. The deal also includes a long-term service and maintenance agreement to be fulfilled by Siemens. The project is wholly owned by IKEA Canada, making it the largest wind farm owned by a Canadian retailer.
Oldman 2 is a 46 MW installation to be situated in Pincher Creek in southern Alberta and will generate 161 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity each year, equivalent to the annual average electricity consumption of 13,500 Canadian households. Construction on the project has begun and commercial operation is expected by fall of 2014.
The Oldman 2 agreement represents Siemens’ first foray into the Alberta wind market, strengthening the company’s engineering capacity and energy business portfolio in the province. Siemens currently has offices in Calgary, Edmonton and Fort McMurray, Alberta.
Alberta is Canada’s third-largest wind power market behind Ontario and Quebec, with 1,117 MW installed representing nearly 17 per cent of the nation’s installed capacity for wind power.
“IKEA Canada’s investment in renewable energy is a win-win-win,” said Kerri Molinaro, president of IKEA Canada. “We are able to support the transition to a low-carbon future, reduce our energy and operating costs, and pass those benefits on to our customers by continuing to offer high quality home furnishings at low prices.”
“This wind farm in Alberta, along with existing solar installations at three of our Ontario stores, is a significant step to achieving IKEA’s global ambition to be energy independent by 2020, producing more renewable energy than we consume,” Molinaro added.