President Obama’s bold new goal that “by 2035, 80% of America’s electricity will come from clean energy sources” will be getting hard dollar backing from China’s Xinjiang Goldwind Science and Technology Company Ltd. and Ireland’s Dublin based Mainstream Renewable Power, Ltd. which plan to begin construction this coming July of the Shady Oaks wind farm in Lee County’s Brooklyn Township near Compton, Illinois. Last month the Illinois Power Agency awarded Goldwind the successful bid on the 106.5 megawatt Shady Oaks project, which will consist of 71 Goldwind 1.5 megawatt permanent magnet direct drive wind turbines, and is planned to produce enough power for 30,000 homes in the community.
Goldwind and Mainstream expect to spend about $200 million building the wind farm, which is projected to produce 120 construction jobs and 10 or 12 permanent jobs once the project goes into commercial operation. The Shady Oaks wind farm will sell electricity to Commonwealth Edison under a 20 year power purchase agreement. Commercial operation of the facility is planned for the second quarter of 2012.
Major U. S. manufacturing participation in the project comes through Goldwind’s purchase of $26 million in bearings for the wind turbines from Canton, Ohio based Timken Company.
Goldwind USA CEO Tim Rosenzweig remarked: “We are elated to have been selected to build this project and to bring critical jobs and opportunity to the local wind industry in Illinois.” Mainstream CEO Eddie O’Connor chimed in with the comment: “Our success today comes down to the strength of our relationship with Goldwind and our joint mission to provide low-cost, reliable renewable energy to the U. S.”
Goldwind and Mainstream expect to spend about $200 million building the wind farm, which is projected to produce 120 construction jobs and 10 or 12 permanent jobs once the project goes into commercial operation. The Shady Oaks wind farm will sell electricity to Commonwealth Edison under a 20 year power purchase agreement. Commercial operation of the facility is planned for the second quarter of 2012.
Major U. S. manufacturing participation in the project comes through Goldwind’s purchase of $26 million in bearings for the wind turbines from Canton, Ohio based Timken Company.
Goldwind USA CEO Tim Rosenzweig remarked: “We are elated to have been selected to build this project and to bring critical jobs and opportunity to the local wind industry in Illinois.” Mainstream CEO Eddie O’Connor chimed in with the comment: “Our success today comes down to the strength of our relationship with Goldwind and our joint mission to provide low-cost, reliable renewable energy to the U. S.”
