pwr_september-2024 - 17

TOP PLANT
POWER POINTS
Winning Attributes
✔ The Brazos Wind Farm, operated by
Shell USA and majority-owned by
InfraRed Capital Investments, today
represents a pinnacle in sustainable
and efficient energy generation
that emphasizes Shell Energy's
commitment to technological
innovation and environmental
stewardship.
1. Shell Energy hosted a site re-opening ceremony and ribbon-cutting for the Brazos Wind
Farm on April 4, 2024. Participants, from left to right, included: Matt Solnick and Annika Venning
of InfraRed Capital Partners; and Ed Rivera, Carina Lopez, Brian Kwan, Dana Herrera,
Jarrette Lewis Sr., Jolanda Koot, Tony Rodriguez, and Gokhan Tekiner, all of Shell Energy.
Courtesy: Shell Energy
developers are starting to take notice, "
said Scott Wilmot, vice president at EIR.
The group has noted that a repowering
could cost 50% to 80% less than a newbuild
wind farm project, as infrastructure
such a grid connections and roads
are already in place.
" More developers are opting to repower
instead of building new wind plants in
an effort to reduce capex [capital expenditure],
and operations and maintenance
costs, and boost power production, " said
Wilmot. " Repowering can often be done
under existing premium-priced power
purchase agreements [PPAs] that have
remaining term. Given the status of the
aging wind fleet and the turbine efficiency
gains that have been achieved, we expect
repowering momentum to continue
in the U.S. going forward. "
Wilmot
continued: " Depending on
PPA price, repower economics can be
preferable to a new build if a 5% capacity
factor gain can be realized. This is a low
benchmark to clear given the turbine efficiency
gains and degradation we have
observed. Projects older than 12 years
[pre-2012 vintage] can realize capacity
factor gains of 10% -20% through a repower-this
makes repowering an easy
economic decision. "
The Brazos site previously had 160
1-MW turbines, model MWT62/1.0 (MWT1000A)
manufactured by Mitsubishi. The
original wind farm, for a time known as
the Green Mountain Energy Wind Farm at
Brazos, was commissioned in December
2003. Today the Brazos Wind Farm has 38
next-generation Nordex 4.8-MW turbines,
with the 182 MW of generation representing
about a 14% increase in electricity
generation capacity.
Herrera said the repowering of Brazos
" was a complex but necessary step to
September 2024 | POWER
enhance the efficiency and longevity of
our wind facility. By addressing the technical,
financial, regulatory, environmental,
social, and operational challenges,
the wind energy industry can continue
to thrive and contribute to a sustainable
energy future. "
Herrera, referring to the decision to
sell a 60% stake in the project to InfraRed
Capital Investments (InfraRed) in
February of this year, said, " This transaction
aligns with our strategy to deliver
more value with less emissions through
a diligent focus on performance, discipline,
and simplification. Shell continuously
evaluates external opportunities
that can help meet our customers' needs
while maximizing long-term shareholder
value. " The February transaction also involved
Shell Energy selling a 50% stake
in the Madison Fields solar power development
in Ohio to InfraRed.
Replacing the original 160 turbines
with 38 larger, more advanced models
provides a blueprint for a wind repowering
project. " The Nordex turbines allow
for improved remote monitoring and data
generation used for advanced analytics,
enhancing overall reliability and safety, "
said Herrera. " We can deploy fewer and
larger turbines to generate more energy
for customers. These new turbines also
offer several ergonomic and quality-oflife
improvements over older turbines,
such as service lifts, providing a safer,
more comfortable work environment for
the technicians maintaining them. "
Herrera said Shell Energy made it a priority
to repurpose the decommissioned
turbine equipment. Shell Energy contracted
the removal and repurposing of 2,100
tons of fiberglass from the 160 decommissioned
turbine blades. The material will
be repurposed to support the creation of
www.powermag.com
✔ The repowering project represents
a 14% increase in generation
capacity, with just 38 turbines onsite,
as compared to the previous 160
turbines. It also included enhanced
remote monitoring and data
generation, which has increased
overall reliability and safety.
✔ The project is notable for its
handling of decommissioned
materials. Shell Energy orchestrated
the removal and repurposing of
2,100 tons of fiberglass from old
turbine blades, turning potential
waste into valuable resources for
various industries.
products for concrete, asphalt, composites,
and/or bulk molding applications.
" We contracted a repurposing company
local to the Lubbock area to continue
our investment in local resources, "
said Herrera, who noted the repowering
project made sense for several reasons,
including as a way to continue Shell's
commitment to the region.
" We already owned and operated the
asset and have fantastic relationships
spanning over two decades within the
community, " said Herrera. " Repowering
the site allows us to continue our involvement
with residents in Borden and
Scurry counties while increasing energy
generation
capacity by
approximately
14%, generating 182 MW of electricity
with 122 fewer turbines onsite.
" We are proud of our decision to repurpose
and recycle old turbine components.
Shell is committed to reducing
emissions, protecting the environment,
and respecting nature, " said Herrera.
" This project aligns with Shell's ambitions
to provide more, cleaner energy
options for our customers. " ■
-Darrell Proctor is a senior
editor for POWER.
17

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