Amazon Web Services Inc. (AWS) and EverPower, a developer, owner and operator of utility-scale wind projects, have teamed up to build the Amazon Wind Farm US Central 2, a new 189 MW wind farm in Hardin County, Ohio, that will generate 530,000 MWh of wind energy annually, beginning December 2017.
Amazon says it engaged with EverPower to construct, own and operate the new wind farm, which is AWS’ fifth renewable energy project in the U.S. and its second wind farm in Ohio. The new wind facility will deliver energy to the electric grid that powers AWS data centers located in the AWS U.S. East (Ohio) and AWS U.S. East (N. Virginia) regions.
When this newest wind farm is completed, AWS says its five renewable energy projects will generate a grand total of 2.2 million MWh of energy annually – enough to power almost 200,000 U.S. homes.
In November 2014, AWS shared its long-term commitment to achieve 100% renewable energy usage for the global AWS infrastructure footprint. Ambitious sustainability initiatives over the last 18-24 months have put AWS on track to exceed its 2016 goal of 40% renewable energy use and enabled AWS to set a new goal of 50% renewable energy by the end of 2017.
In addition to investing in wind and solar projects that deliver more renewable energy to the electrical grids that power AWS Cloud data centers, AWS works to increase energy efficiency in its buildings and equipment and to advocate for federal and state policies aimed at creating a favorable renewable energy environment. For example, in Ohio, Amazon supports proposed changes to the state’s current wind setbacks law to encourage more investment in new renewable wind power projects.
This second Ohio wind project joins Amazon Wind Farm US Central (100 MW) in Paulding County, which AWS announced in November 2015, and will start producing wind energy in May 2017.
Other AWS renewable energy projects in the U.S. include Amazon Wind Farm Fowler Ridge (100 MW), in Indiana, and Amazon Solar Farm US East (80 MW), in Virginia – both of which are currently in production. Amazon Wind Farm US East (280 MW), in North Carolina, is under construction and is expected to start generating electricity by December.
