Argentina opens first wind turbine manufacturing plant

Argentine renewable energy solutions provider Impsa opened the country's first-ever wind turbine manufacturing plant, in Mendoza province.

The plant (pictured), located at existing Impsa facilities in the city of Godoy Cruz, required investment of US$20mn, the local government said in a statement.

Impsa has begun fabricating 26 wind turbines at the plant that will be installed at the already operational Arauco wind farm in La Rioja province. Arauco will be Argentina's largest wind farm once the fourth and final phase of construction is complete, the statement said, citing that the plant will generate 176,600MWh/y of electricity on average.

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The Godoy Cruz plant will initially have the capacity to produce 150 wind turbines annually, the statement said, with the possibility of doubling that capacity within six months.

Impsa is developing the 50MW Malespina wind farm, one of 15 shovel-ready wind projects identified by energy trading firm Saesa ahead of the Renovar national renewable energy tender process, which aims to award 600MW wind, 300MW solar, 65MW biomass, 20MW small hydropower and 15MW biogas capacity.