HOUSTON – (COMMERCIAL THREAD) – JERA Americas, the Houston-based subsidiary of world energy leader JERA Co. (JERA), has acquired a 100% stake in the El Sauz wind power project from Apex Clean Energy, the original developer. The approximately 300 megawatt (MW) project, located in Willacy County, Texas, is expected to begin construction in early 2022 and begin operation in the last quarter of the year.

“We are extremely proud that our first renewable energy investment in the United States is here in Texas where we have our US headquarters,†said Steven Winn, CEO of JERA Americas. “We are looking to accelerate the transformation of our energy supply to more sustainable forms of energy and this project marks the start of what we expect to be a substantial and growing commitment to renewable energy in this state and across the country.” . We love the Texas market for the way it supports cleaner energy and we plan to be here for the long haul. ”

The project will include 67 wind turbines from the Nordex Group, each capable of producing 4.5 MW of electricity, which, at full power, could supply around 240,000 homes. Wanzek Construction, Inc. will serve as the factory contractor for the project.

“El Sauz Wind represents a significant milestone, not only for JERA Americas, as the first US investment in renewable energy, but also for the community, which will benefit from the large local investment associated with the construction of the project,†said Mark Goodwin, President and CEO of Apex Clean Energy. “El Sauz Wind will also generate new jobs and an important source of income for Willacy County for decades to come. The success of this project is the result of a strong partnership with the famous HP El Sauz Ranch, a historic family ranch in operation that will house the wind farm.

JERA intends to become a world leader in renewable energies and zero CO₂ electricity and announced a target of 5 gigawatts (GW) for renewable energy projects by 2025 and achieve zero net CO₂ emissions by 2050. JERA Americas established a renewable energy company in 2020 and plans to contribute approximately 2 GW to the global target of 5 GW. This transaction marks JERA’s first investment in renewable energy in the United States.

El Sauz Wind’s development announcement comes after several other recent steps taken in pursuit of JERA’s goal of net zero CO₂ emissions by 2050. This summer, JERA Americas announced plans to blend hydrogen at two natural gas-fired power generation facilities in the northeastern United States. In September, JERA Americas also acquired a stake in Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies, a company focused on providing safe hydrogen storage and transport solutions to help drive the growth of hydrogen as a zero carbon fuel to reduce carbon emissions in fossil fuel plants.

ABOUT JERA AMERICAS

A Tokyo-based subsidiary of JERA which produces approximately 30% of all electricity in Japan, JERA Americas supports an energy transition in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. JERA, which stands for Japanese Energy for a New Era, strives to achieve net zero CO2 emissions from its domestic and foreign companies by 2050 and contributes to the development of a sustainable society. https://www.jera.co.jp/english/. For more information, contact PR@jeraamericas.com.

ABOUT APEX CLEAN ENERGY

Apex Clean Energy was founded with a single goal: to accelerate the transition to clean energy. Through the creation, construction and operation of large-scale wind, solar and storage facilities, distributed energy resources and green fuel technologies, Apex expands the renewable energy frontier across North America. North. Our mission-driven team of over 300 professionals use a data-centric approach and unmatched project portfolio to create solutions for the world’s most innovative and forward-thinking clients. For more information on how Apex is building the energy company of the future, visit apexcleanenergy.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.