Beer Maker Says 'Cheers!' to Wind Energy
David Wagman | September 13, 2017
Anheuser-Busch and Enel Green Power (EGP) signed a power purchase agreement through which the brewery will buy the energy delivered to the grid and renewable electricity credits from a portion of EGP's Thunder Ranch wind project in the amount of 152.5 megawatts.
The deal is the beer company's first contracted utility-scale project. The Thunder Ranch wind farm is expected to be running by the end of 2017. The brewer's parent company says it intends to secure 100 percent of purchased electricity from renewable sources by 2025.
Through a Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA), EGP will sell to Anheuser-Busch the electricity output delivered to the grid by a 152.5 MW portion of the Thunder Ranch wind farm. The output is expected to support the equivalent of producing more than 20 billion 12 oz. servings of beer each year. At the same time, the renewable energy output will be capable of meeting up to 50 percent of Anheuser-Busch's total annual purchased electricity.
The Thunder Ranch wind farm in Garfield, Kay and Noble counties, Okla., is comprised of two phases that total 298 MW of capacity. The overall investment in Thunder Ranch amounts to approximately $435 million.
In March, AB InBev announced its commitment to secure 100 percent of the company's purchased electricity from renewable sources by 2025. This transition will shift 6 terawatt-hours of electricity annually to renewable sources in the markets where AB InBev operates.
AB InBev kicked off this initiative in Mexico by signing a PPA with energy company Iberdrola for 490 gigawatt-hours per year. Under terms of the Enel deal, EGP will deliver the power generated from the 152.5 MW portion of the project to the grid with pricing settled by the two companies. Also under the agreement, the renewable energy credits associated with the power delivered to the grid will be acquired by Anheuser-Busch and retired from the market.
I see a marketing campaign here directed towards all of the greenies.
" Busch's breeze beer ".
And how many millions of birds are going to be killed each year?
That is a very high price. Birds eat insects, the insect population will rise. Is that good?
It is a bit equal to killing the wolfs in Yellowstone park. Since the wolves are back nature has returned to normal there balancing the Eco system. Windmill cause tremendous harm. No one talks about that, no more Bud for me.
In reply to #2
1. " How many millions of birds are going to be killed each year "
A reactionary response is to start off with, " millions " , rather than starting off with One, Ten, Hundred or thousand.
Nobody can predict if five birds or fifty birds are going to get killed.
Then saying the insect population will rise if an unknown number of birds are killed shows your response to be hyperbole.
Present your empirical data, if you want anyone to take you seriously.
Otherwise the real engineers will make a joke of your comment.
In reply to #3
So, you believe in man made climate change? Good grief.
Why don't you substantiate that with data. I have not seen any. However, the media, UN, EU, Unis, Gov's accepts it as fact without any scientific data and the public, and likely you, takes them seriously.
Where is the logic?