Harnessing the wind to create usable energy has been a growing industry in recent years, and BP Wind Energy plans to expand its operations by building a new wind turbine farm in Wyoming County, Pa., with the help of Sempra U.S. Gas and Power. Marketwatch reported that early in July, BP was planning to invest $8 billion globally in the next 10 years to developing alternative energy resources, but will likely reach this goal by the end of the year. BP has already invested $4 billion in the U.S., and another $3 billion around the world.
Construction equipment has already been brought in to get the ball rolling on the 9,000-acre Mehoopany Wind Farm, according to local news source The Citizens' Voice. This project is estimated to cost roughly $250 million and will result in the installment of 85 windmills. About 400 workers will be needed to complete the installation, and once everything is in place, only about 10 to 15 people will be needed to oversee operations. The wind farm will supply about 141 megawatts of electricity, which the news source indicates is enough to power more than 40,000 homes.
"Pennsylvania has a rich abundance of natural resources and the ability to harvest wind energy is an important addition for our state," Congressman Tom Marino said during the ceremony that was held before construction began earlier this week, according to REVE.
Marino and other guests in attendance were welcomed to sign a 130-foot long turbine blade that weighs about seven tons.
The installation of a large-scale farm such as this is a promising sign for the alternative energy sector, especially amid reports of unfavorable conditions throughout the world. EnergyLiveNews indicates weakness in core markets during the first six months of the year had led to a drop in orders for wind turbines on a global scale. European and Asian nations such as the U.K., India and China were hit especially hard, and the news source states this decline in wind turbine installation could continue into 2013. However, BP's project indicates things are not as bad in the U.S., so construction companies may want to ensure they have cranes and other equipment that can handle large-scale projects.
