Whirlpool to bet on wind power at Ohio factory

US home appliances maker Whirlpool Corp (NYSE:WHR) will use electricity generated by a new USD-18-million (EUR 16m) wind farm in Ohio to cover some 22% of the power consumed by a local factory.

Whirlpool said in a statement on Monday it will use two of the five turbines that will make up the Findlay wind park. The nearby Ball Company will receive the output of the other three machines. Each turbines is estimated to produce enough power to cover the annual consumption of 300 to 400 average households.

The project is financed by energy solutions provider One Energy. Construction works are seen to start this spring and the completion of the plant is scheduled for late 2015.

Whirlpool, which makes dishwashers at its factory in Findlay, said it will create a USD-5,000 Megawatt Scholarship for each turbine. As long as the machines are operating, the money will be awarded annually to a graduating high school senior locally interested in a technical degree.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.889)

Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!