Vestas has secured a firm order from Pattern Energy to power a major portion of its SunZia Wind project in New Mexico, USA, as disclosed in Company Announcement no. 20/2023 of 27 December 2023. It is Vestas’ largest order to date in the U.S. market and the largest single onshore project globally. Consisting of 242 V163-4.5 MW turbines, the 1.1 GW order is also the largest order globally for Vestas’ newest high-capacity factor turbine.
The order includes supply, delivery, and commissioning of the turbines, as well as a multi-year Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000) service agreement, designed to ensure optimised performance of the asset.
'Reaching this monumental order milestone is a testament to Vestas' unwavering dedication to advancing clean energy solutions across the U.S. We’re continuing to see a surge in demand for renewable energy and we are proud to be at the forefront of this transformation,' said Laura Beane, President of Vestas North America. 'Vestas is committed to driving the transition to a sustainable energy future in the U.S. and we are excited to continue shaping the renewable energy landscape for years to come.'
'Our turbine order with Vestas is a huge step towards building the largest wind power facility in the country, SunZia Wind, that will generate clean energy for 3 million Americans across western markets,' said Hunter Armistead, CEO of Pattern Energy. 'The majority of the Vestas turbines will be made right here in the United States, helping SunZia create thousands of new jobs in manufacturing and construction. We’re proud to be building this milestone project together with Vestas that will help America transition to renewable energy.'
Vestas’ first onshore order of more than 1 GW in the U.S. market follows its recent commitment to invest USD 40 million in its domestic footprint to manufacture the V163-4.5 MW turbine. Activities are nearing completion to expand its two Colorado factories that includes building expansions and production equipment as well as hiring up to 1,000 local employees.
'With the majority of the 1.1 GW deal being domestically sourced, we are underscoring our commitment to deploying American-made renewable energy across the U.S.,' said David Ivan, Senior Vice President, COO, Vestas North America. 'We look forward to expanding our domestic supply chain and maximising our manufacturing footprint to bring innovative, reliable turbine technology to market.'
The V163-4.5 MW turbine is based on the proven 4 MW platform and leverages an established supply chain. The design takes into account U.S. conditions, addressing transportation, installation, and operational aspects to support the rapid deployment of wind energy in response to the growing demand. This year alone in the USA, Vestas has received almost 4.5 GW of orders of its latest technology with the majority of those being received in the final quarter of the year.
'Providing our newest high-capacity factor turbine for the largest clean energy infrastructure initiative in the U.S. is a moment of huge pride for Vestas Americas. By harnessing proven technology and utilising a well-established supply chain, the V163-4.5 MW is ideally positioned for markets facing grid constraints, such as the United States. This record-breaking order clearly demonstrates what’s possible for renewable energy in the U.S,' said John Eggers, Chief Technical Officer, Vestas North America.
Turbine delivery is planned to begin in the first quarter of 2025 with final commissioning scheduled for the first half of 2026.
Source: Vestas
