Enel, through its US renewable company Enel Green Power North America, Inc. (EGPNA), has begun operation of the 185 MW HillTopper wind farm, its first wind facility in Illinois. HillTopper, located in Logan County, is supported by three long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Bloomberg LP, General Motors as well as Constellation, an Exelon company.
The investment in the construction of HillTopper, which is expected to generate around 570 GWh annually, amounts to approximately $325 million.
Under a long-term PPA with Bloomberg LP, Enel will sell the power generated from a 17 MW portion of the wind farm to help the global business and financial information and news leader reach its 100% renewable energy goal by 2025.
The energy generated by a 100 MW portion of HillTopper will be sold to the global mobility company General Motors under a second long-term PPA. The wind energy will provide 100% renewable electricity to all of General Motors’ Ohio and Indiana manufacturing facilities and help the company achieve 20% energy supply from renewables.
Under a third long-term agreement, the power produced from a 23 MW section of HillTopper will be sold to retail energy products and services provider Constellation, who will then sell the power to two corporate customers through separate retail agreements.
The HillTopper wind farm brings the total renewable capacity connected by Enel Green Power to grids around the world from January 2018 to date to approximately 1,981 MW.
GM and Bloomberg first announced their investment in HillTopper wind energy in April.
“Our agreement with HillTopper is part of our strategy to generate or source all electrical power for our global operations with 100% renewable energy by 2050,” said Rob Threlkeld, global manager of renewable energy, General Motors. “When the turbines come online later this year, we will be 20% of the way to our goal.”
“Our agreement to buy energy from the HillTopper project reflects our commitment to sustainable business practices that benefit our bottom line,” said Michael Barry, Head of Sustainable Business Operations at Bloomberg.
GM and Bloomberg have ramped up their commitment to clean energy in recent years. In 2016, GM joined the RE100 initiative, committing to reaching 100% renewable energy for its global operations by 2050. In September 2017, the company announced that all of its Ohio and Indiana manufacturing facilities will meet their electricity needs through 100% renewable energy.
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