Michigan-based CMS Energy has officially opened Northwest Ohio Wind, a 105 MW project that will generate clean energy for General Motors for at least 15 years.
Located in Paulding County, the project is owned by CMS Enterprises, a subsidiary of CMS Energy. CMS Enterprises officials celebrated the wind park’s opening on Monday at a ceremony at Wayne Trace Junior/Senior High School.
“We at CMS Energy are committed to our ‘Triple Bottom Line of People, Planet and Prosperity,’ and we’re excited to start generating clean energy that will help General Motors meet long-term goals to protect the planet,” says DV Rao, senior vice president of strategy for CMS Energy.
“Renewable energy is an important part of GM’s vision for a zero-emissions future,” adds Rob Threlkeld, global manager of renewable energy for General Motors. “Working with CMS Energy’s Northwest Ohio Wind farm, along with the HillTopper Wind Project in Illinois, we’ll soon power all of our manufacturing facilities in Ohio and Indiana with 100 percent clean wind energy.”
Northwest Ohio Wind is expected to generate about 320,000 MWh of renewable energy per year – enough to power more than 30,000 Ohio homes, says CMS Energy. Construction of the Northwest Ohio Wind project was executed through select contractors, including GE and White Construction, and was completed in August.
Renewable energy credits from Northwest Ohio Wind are committed to General Motors as part of a 15-year renewable energy purchase agreement. Specifically, the project will help offset carbon emissions from seven Midwestern GM plants.
