Google to acquire Vestas’ share in Africa’s largest wind project

Google has announced its plans to acquire Vestas’ share of the 310 MW Lake Turkana Wind Power Project in Northern Kenya. The internet megalith, in partnership with Vestas, announced Tuesday that Google would be acquiring Vestas’ 12.5% stake in the Lake Turkana Wind Power Project, set to be located in Northern Kenya, and which will be the continent’s largest wind power project.

Specifically, the Lake Turkana project will generate the equivalent electricity necessary to power more than 2 million households throughout Kenya, as well as providing much needed capacity and stability to Kenya’s electricity grid. The project will also go a long way to reducing the country’s emissions and subsequent dependence upon fossil fuels for electricity generation, and provide what Google is describing as “some of the most cost effective power in the country.”

Google will purchase Vestas’ 12.5% stake of the project upon completion of the project, which is expected to be some time in 2017. Vestas is not only invested in the project, but is also supplying the turbines for the project, whereas Google’s stats make this investment its 22nd renewable energy project investment worldwide, and its second in Africa.

“We are making a commitment to invest in Lake Turkana because it makes financial sense, but also because it has the potential to have a massive impact on Kenya’s grid, helping to spur the deployment of renewable energy in one of the world’s fastest-growing countries,” said John Woolard, Vice President, Energy at Google. “We look forward to joining Vestas and others to help accelerate progress toward a future of clean energy in Kenya.”

“We commend Lake Turkana Wind Power for their ground-breaking work in bringing the project to this stage,” added Vestas Group President and CEO Anders Runevad, who joined John Woolward in Washington DC for the announcement. “We are extremely proud to provide the technology and service for a project that will be one of the most efficient wind parks in the world and which upon completion will include Google among its investors.” 

http://cleantechnica.com/2015/10/21/google-acquire-vestas-share-africas-largest-wind-project/