A huge onshore wind farm in Texas that will sell green power to Facebook and McDonald’s has a new majority-owner after CMS Energy took a 51% stake.
The 525MW Aviator Wind project has tied-up deals for its output with the social media and fast-food giants, making it a flagship for the fast-growing US corporate renewable energy sector.
Facebook said the 200MW it’s taking from the wind farm in San Angelo, central Texas, will play an important part in its drive for 100% renewable power for its operations.
McDonald’s signed up for power from Aviator Wind via a ‘virtual PPA’ in November last year as part of wider renewables deal.
Michigan-based CMS Energy joins Japan’s Kansai Electric Power as co-owner of the project, which is due in service in August using 191 GE wind turbines and is said to be the largest single-site, one-phase wind project in the US.
CMS bought the Aviator Wind stake from Ares Management for an undisclosed sum.