Enel and Meta partner to bring wind power to Illinois data center
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Enel and Meta partner to bring wind power to Illinois data center

Enel North America has begun operations of the 200 MW Alta Farms wind farm in DeWitt County, Ill., in the central part of the state. The project supports Meta’s DeKalb Data Center through a 125 MW long-term power purchase agreement.

Alta Farms also supports the Indiana Municipal Power Agency (IMPA) with a 75 MW long-term power purchase agreement, adding wind energy to the IMPA’s portfolio for its 61 member communities.

Data center electricity use is predicted to increase fifteen-fold by 2030, up to 8% of projected total electricity demand, according to Enel.  

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Enel began construction at Alta Farms in 2021. Representing an investment of over $345 million, the project created over 275 jobs during construction and will employ around 12-15 full-time workers for long-term operations and maintenance.

Enel announced the Alta Farms project in 2021 along with four other new renewable energy projects overseen by its US renewable subsidiary Enel Green Power North America: Roseland Solar and Storage in Falls County, Texas; Blue Jay Solar and Storage in Grimes County, Texas; Ranchland Wind and Storage in Callahan and Eastland Counties, Texas; and the Rockhaven Wind Project in Murray and Carter counties, Oklahoma.

In addition to the new projects announced in 2021, Enel began work adding 57 MW battery storage systems to two of its existing renewable energy farms in Texas: the High Lonesome wind farm and the Roadrunner solar farm.

Amid slowing U.S. wind capacity additions in Q3 2022, Enel Green Power North America was responsible for the largest project: the 350 MW Azure Sky Wind Project (Vortex Wind) in Texas. The facility includes a 137 MW/205 MWh battery system, with an estimated 1.3 TWh of renewable energy to be sold annually to corporate buyers.

Also in Q3 2022, Enel announced the 300 MW Aquilla Wind And Battery Storage Project in Texas. The project, which is still under development, has an estimated construction cost of $510 million, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.

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