Google agrees to purchase full output from two South Dakota wind farms

Avangrid Renewables, a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc., recently announced that it signed power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Alphabet subsidiary Google under which the company agreed to purchase approximately 196 megawatts (MW) of wind energy.

The PPAs cover the total output from Avangrid Renewables’ Coyote Ridge and Tatanka Ridge Wind Farms in Brookings and Deuel counties, which each generate 98 MW.

“Renewables from projects like Coyote Ridge and Tatanka Ridge bring value to our business as we scale and accelerate investment in the communities where we operate,” Gary Demasi, Google’s director of global infrastructure, said. “With solar and wind declining dramatically in cost and propelling significant employment growth, the transition to clean energy is driving unprecedented economic opportunity and doing so faster than we ever anticipated.”

Avangrid Renewables expects the two wind farms to contribute approximately $40 million over their lifetimes in combined land lease and tax payments.

“Working with partners like Google who have made a commitment to 100% renewable energy for their global operations is exciting and inspiring,” Avangrid Renewables President and CEO Laura Beane said. “This partnership creates a positive impact in these local communities, delivering jobs, new investment and economic development for rural America while advancing our country’s energy independence.”

Avangrid Renewables is finalizing its development work at the Coyote Ridge and Tatanka Ridge projects and plans to begin construction by 2019.