The Pattern Energy Group and Samsung Renewable Energy have completed an expanded agreement with Siemens to supply wind turbines to four projects with a combined capacity of 870MW in the province of Ontario, Canada. This will create up to 600 jobs at factories in Windsor and Tillsonburg.
In August, power purchase agreements were signed with the Ontario Power Authority and the companies are already constructing the 270MW South Kent wind farm and the 150MW Grand Renewable Energy Park. The other developments are a 270MW project in the township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh and the 180MW Armow site which the companies purchased earlier this month.
Mike Garland, CEO of Pattern Energy, said, 'By committing to Ontario-made turbines, we are focused on bringing new jobs and revenue to the province, along with clean energy. The creation of up to 600 new jobs is direct evidence of the successful framework established by the Green Energy Act and Green Energy Investment Agreement. Together, these initiatives have created a vibrant green energy economy in Ontario, developing wind power projects, building factories, and putting thousands of Ontarians to work throughout the province.'
Cheol-Woo Lee, vice president of Samsung C&T, added, 'Together with our partners, Samsung is proud to be making an unprecedented $7bn private sector investment in Ontario. We are moving forward aggressively to fulfill our commitment to induce new green manufacturing in Ontario, to help us build the world's largest cluster of wind and solar power, putting Ontario on the global clean energy map. Because of Samsung's agreement with the Province of Ontario, we are moving forward to create real jobs and real clean energy in Ontario, for generations to come.'
Samsung originally announced its intention of investing heavily in the area last April saying that it would spend $7bn on a green energy industrial park.