Pattern Energy in Argentia, Newfoundland: One of the largest renewable energy investments in Canadian history
Pattern Energy is a global leader in renewable energy that develops, constructs, owns, and operates high-quality wind, solar, transmission, and energy storage projects worldwide.
Pattern Energy Group LP is a San Francisco-based American company that develops, owns, and operates utility-scale wind and solar power facilities in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Mexico.
Pattern Energy is committed to accelerating the world’s transition from fossil energy to a sustainable future and has a development pipeline that contains bold initiatives that can help transition at scale.
Pattern Energy is one of the world’s largest privately-owned developers and operators of wind, solar, transmission, and energy storage projects. Its operational portfolio includes 35 renewable energy facilities that use proven, best-in-class technology with an operating capacity of nearly 6,000 MW (or 6 GW) in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Mexico.
Watts: What does that mean?
Pattern Energy’s portfolio of culminating into 6000 MW, or 6 GW is put into perspective when we consider the following:
A watt is a measure of power and there are 1 billion watts in 1 GW. How much is 1 GW of power?
A gigawatt is a massive amount of energy that is equal to one billion watts or 1,000 megawatts. It is often used to describe the output of large power plants or power grids and can power a medium-sized city. To get a visual of what it would take to produce 1 GW of power think about this:
It’s 3.125 Million Photovoltaic PV solar panels.
It’s 333 industrial, utility-scale wind turbines.
It’s 100 million LED lights
It’s 1.3 million horses or horsepower
It’s 2000 Corvettes of engine power
Pattern Energy’s 6000 Megawatts of power output is made up of a diverse portfolio of projects which they own and/or operate. Here are some of their projects:
UNITED STATES
Amazon Wind Farm (Fowler Ridge), Benton County, Indiana – Operational
Arkansas Solar – In development
Broadview Wind, Curry County, New Mexico – Operational
Grady Wind, Curry County, New Mexico – Operational
Gulf Wind in Kenedy County, Texas – Operational
Hatchet Ridge Wind in Burney, California – Operational
Heritage Prarie Renewable – Kankakee and Livingston counties, Illinois – In development
Kaskaskia Renewables, Washington, St. Clair, and Randolph counties, Illinois – In development
Limestone Solar, Union County, Pennsylvania – In development
Logan’s Gap Wind, Comanche County, Texas – Operational
Lost Creek Wind, DeKalb County, Missouri – Operational
Louisiana Solar, Louisiana – In Development
Maysville Solar, Mercer County, Pennsylvania – In development
Montour Solar One, Montour County, Pennsylvania – In development
North Kill Solar, North Kill, Pennsylvania – In development
Ocotillo Wind in Ocotillo, California – Operationa
Panhandle Wind, Carson County, Texas – Operational
Panhandle 2 Wind, Carson County, Texas – Operational
Phoenix Solar, Fannin County, Texas – Operational
Post Rock Wind, Ellsworth and Lincoln Counties, Kansas – Operational
Santa Isabel Wind in Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico; Stillwater Wind, Stillwater County, Montana – Operational
Southern Spirit Transmission, Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi – In development
SunZia Wind, Lincoln, Torrance, and San Miguel Counties, New Mexico – In development
SunZia Wind and Transmission – New Mexico and Arizona – In development
The Shoals Renewables, Montgomery County, Illinois – In development
Western Spirit Wind, Guadalupe, Lincoln, and Torrance counties, New Mexico – Operational
Uplands Wind – Lafayette and Iowa Counties – In development
Western Gate Renewables – Randolph County, Illinois – In development
Western Interconnect, Clovis, New Mexico – Operational
Western Spirit Transmission, New Mexico – Operational
Western Spirit Wind, New Mexico, Operational
CANADA
Armow Wind, Kincardine, Ontario – Operational
Argentia Renewables – In Development
Belle River Wind, Lakeshore, Ontario – Operational
Grand Renewable Wind, Haldimand County, Ontario; Henvey Inlet Wind, Henvey Inlet First Nation Reserve No. 2 Lands, Ontario – Operational
Pattern Energy is developing a green hydrogen project at the Port of Argentia, in Newfoundland and Labrador. The project will use renewable electricity to produce green hydrogen and convert it into carbon-free ammonia, which can be safely stored and shipped to end-user customers around the world.
The project is expected to require a capital investment of over USD 4 billion, representing one of the largest renewable energy investments in Canadian history.
The project is expected to create 250-300 construction jobs, including equipment operators, electricians, laborers, environmental monitors, and more. Once operational, permanent staff will operate and maintain the facility.
Phase 1 of the project is expected to consist of approximately 200 megawatts of installed wind power. Pending the outcome of environmental studies and community consultation.
Phase 2 of the project may consist of up to 1.2 gigawatts of additional installed wind capacity.
These wind projects will power the production of green hydrogen, through the process of electrolysis, at a world-class hydrogen electrolyzer facility located at the Port of Argentia.
Carbon-free ammonia will be produced using green hydrogen, which can be safely stored and shipped to end-user customers around the world, particularly in areas like Europe, where they are currently experiencing energy shortages and demand for clean energy is at a premium.
Scott Penney, CEO of the Port of Argengia said, “The Port stands on the cutting edge of the transition to renewable energy. The Argentia Renewables project will generate significant capital investment in the region and create jobs in servicing project infrastructure and plant operations. This development at Argentia aligns with provincial and federal initiatives in reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.”
As Pattern Energy embarks one of the largest renewable energy investments in Canadian history in Argentia Newfoundland, the province is poised to be a world leader in green hydrogen production. This game-changing, foundational clean energy, mega-project, sets the stage for an unprecedented opportunity for Newfoundland and Labrador to be a world leader in renewables.