The new plant, measuring 200,190 square feet, cost $23 million and was constructed in seven months. It is the first U.S. plant of Acciona, a company based in Spain which has 5,300 MW installed wind power in twelve countries.
The plant will provide more than 100 new jobs and will produce 200 wind turbines in 2008, with plans to increase to 400 turbines per year in the future. The facility will supply turbines primarily for Acciona Energy wind farms throughout North America and will utilize proprietary technology from its wind turbine manufacturing subsidiary, Acciona Windpower.
The Acciona project was aided by the Iowa Department of Economic Development, City of West Branch, Iowa City Area Development Group and Cedar County Economic Development Commission.
The new plant at West Branch is Acciona's fourth installed, with two plants currently operational in Spain and one in China. Accionas West Branch plant will increase the companys total production capacity up to 2,280 MW a year.
Acciona Energy recently launched Nevada Solar One, the largest solar thermal power plant (64 MW) built in the world in the last 17 years, has installed more than 40 MW of photovoltaic and 29 MW of solar hot water power in Spain, and owns three biomass plants (33 MW) and 19 small hydro power stations (59 MW). In the field of biofuels, the company produces biodiesel from vegetable oil and biotethanol from wine-surplus alcohol.
