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wind
Texas
300 megawatts
case study
Santa Rita East Wind Farm
How it came together
Strong landowner, community and local business relationships were key to the successful development of the more than 300-megawatt Santa Rita East wind farm.
Like every project we develop, Invenergy took a responsible approach to developing Santa Rita East, aiming for the communities benefiting from its clean energy generation to have a voice in the development process.
Santa Rita East was the follow-up project to our Santa Rita wind farm, which achieved commercial operation date in 2018. Thanks to our commitment to understanding the community’s needs and working with local stakeholders on the Santa Rita wind farm, we were welcomed back. Santa Rita East furthers our ability to deliver more clean energy infrastructure to communities.
As part of Santa Rita East’s development, Invenergy executed three virtual power purchase agreements with Grupo Bimbo, Merck and Novartis, totaling 260 megawatts in support of their clean energy goals.
What sets it apart
From development to construction and operation, we engaged with local community members, landowners, businesses and more to bring Santa Rita East to fruition. Wherever we develop projects, Invenergy is focused on ensuring the long-term success of our sites.
“Invenergy personnel and their families will be making these communities their homes, working, living and sending their kids to school there,” says Invenergy’s Executive Vice President of North American Development Mick Baird . “When making commitments during development, we think about how community members will view our decisions 5, 10 and 20 years after we make them, and that thinking drives everything we do."
During Santa Rita East’s development and construction, Invenergy’s team prioritized supporting local shops, restaurants and businesses, as well as spending time in the surrounding communities.
Throughout construction of Santa Rita East, Invenergy employees made a concerted effort to keep landowners involved with the project aware of the construction crew’s daily work to work with the landowners’ daily routines. One of Invenergy’s guiding principles during project development is viewing landowners and community members as partners in the project, and this mindset has been essential to our continued success and our ability to bring clean energy to communities around the world.
What's the impact
With the completion of Santa Rita East, Invenergy’s total capital investment in Texas surpassed $5 billion. Santa Rita East contributes about $5 million to Texas annually through tax and lease payments. Across the state, Invenergy’s clean energy projects generate approximately $30 million annually in taxes, lease payments, and employee wages and benefits.
The Santa Rita East team also donated to area schools, developed relationships with local small-business owners, and even provided financial support to a local fire department to buy a firetruck adapted for the local terrain. A significant portion of the investment dollars from the Santa Rita East project went directly to help schoolchildren in the area, a particularly meaningful cause for residents there.
Santa Rita East employed about 300 people during peak construction, and 14 full-time employees will oversee the site’s long-term operations and maintenance. The project generates enough electricity to power about 120,000 homes.
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