Recently BP announced their plan to build a major wind farm in the state of Kansas. The UK oil company has planned to invest upwards of $8 billion for energies outside the typical fossil fuel field by the year 2015, a goal of which the new Kansas wind farm is a part. Thus far, BP is said to have invested approximately $7 billion through 2011, although it is unknown if their target goal of $8 billion will be increased. The majority of the money has been used in U.S. projects, about $4 billion.Has BP found religion after their oilspills? Or have they found a way to look "green" and make greenbacks at the same time?
The planned wind farm in Kansas will be the largest in the state once it is up and running. The plan includes a 419 megawatt capacity farm containing 262 wind turbines. The turbines are contributed by GE and are each 1.6 megawatts. The wind farm will be spread across 66,000 acres southwest of Wichita. Construction on the wind farm will be started before 2012 and operating by the end of 2012.
Seventy-five percent of the energy produced on the wind farm, 314 megawatts, have been allotted to Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. due to a purchase agreement with BP. This company will be using the energy in Missouri, Iowa and Oklahoma. Currently the remaining 105 megawatts are not allotted to anyone in particular, although BP is working on finding another purchaser.
Ding...ding...ding. Right answer - the mighty dollar wins again.
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