Apex signs PPA with Meta for 225-MW wind project in Iowa

Apex Clean Energy has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) for its 225-MW Great Pathfinder Wind project in Iowa with Meta (NASDAQ:FB), formerly known as Facebook, the US renewables developer said today.

Meta will offtake the project’s full capacity in what is its second clean power purchase in Iowa. The deal is also Apex’s fifth PPA with Meta.

Subscribe for Renewables Now's Corporate PPA Newsletter here for free!

Great Pathfinder Wind is located in Boone and Hamilton Counties, central Iowa, and is expected to go live this year. The wind farm will support Meta’s local operations, including its data centre campus not far from Altoona, Iowa, which broke ground in 2013 and recently announced an expansion. The wind power plant will help Meta continue sourcing 100% renewable energy for its global operations.

“Iowa’s ability to host high-quality wind projects, while providing a welcoming business environment, has made it a great home for our data centre, [...]” said Urvi Parekh, director of renewable energy at Meta.

The wind project will add to the economic benefits created by Meta’s data centre, Apex pointed out. It will deliver some USD 32 million (EUR 28.3m) in local tax revenue, USD 74 million in payments to landowners, along with 270 local construction jobs and nine long-term local operations jobs, according to the announcement.

(USD 1 = EUR 0.885)