- RWE has signed a 15-year power purchase agreement to supply Rivian with wind energy from the Champion Wind, Texas wind farm.
- Champion Wind gets new turbines and will reach its completion by mid-year 2025.
- Rivian’s fast charging network and carbon neutral drive aspirations will be supported.
- Renewable driving will enable the repowered Champion Wind for about one billion miles of renewable driving every year.
RWE from Germany has entered into a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) to deliver renewable wind energy towards ambitious carbon-neutral objectives of electric vehicle manufacturing giant Rivian. According to the company, these sources of renewable energy shall emanate from RWE’s Champion Wind project being upgraded in West Texas towards increasing its operational period along with its power output capabilities.
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Champion Wind will provide renewable energy to power Rivian’s Adventure Network, a fast-charging network developed by the maker of electric vehicles for their customers in the United States. The agreement with Rivian aligns with the goal of Champion Wind regarding carbon-neutral driving and could power more than seven billion miles of renewable-powered driving by the time it is filled to capacity.
Champion Wind, located in the Nolan and Mitchell counties, Texas, is upgraded toward efficiency and production. Originally commissioned in 2008, the wind farm will repower with new nacelles and blades to prolong its life—a project under M.A. Mortenson Company, completed in mid-2025. Siemens Gamesa will supply 41 state-of-the-art turbines featuring newly designed and manufactured components made in the U.S., including six additional 3.1 MW-rated turbines which will be installed to bolster the farm’s capacity.
As said by RWE Clean Energy CEO Andrew Flanagan, “RWE continues to pursue commercial opportunities to partner with leading innovative companies like Rivian to help decarbonize the grid. We are investing in clean energy projects to support the needs of energy-intensive companies, and PPAs like this one with Rivian facilitate those investments.” His words reflect the strategic focus of RWE in developing partnerships that fit with its commitment to the growth of renewable energy and reduction of carbon.
Once Champion Wind’s upgrades are complete, the project will produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of nearly one billion miles of renewable driving per year, or enough electricity to supply about 36,000 Texas homes. The repowering effort also supports sustainable practices by reusing retired turbine components. Through a partnership with REGEN Fiber, based in Iowa, RWE will recycle decommissioned turbine blades to minimize waste and promote resource efficiency.
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This is one of the various renewable energy projects RWE pursues in different parts of the world. RWE recently received permission from the Danish Energy Agency to initiate its offshore wind farm project, Thor, off the Danish coast of Jutland. The 1.1 GW capacity will be sufficient for the generation of green electricity for more than a million households in Denmark. Construction is expected to start in 2023 as the company continues to add its growing portfolio of sustainable energy projects.
RWE further extended its commitment to the growth of renewable energy in Europe through launching a new 44 MW onshore wind farm in France last June, aside from the further development of its wind energy facilities in Texas and Denmark.
The deal with RWE and Rivian represents a significant milestone in sustainable energy collaboration as it will help Rivian in fulfilling its carbon-neutral mission and expand Champion Wind’s capability to power electric vehicles on clean energy. Such projects are helping RWE continue its expansion of its renewable energy footprint, with both environmental and economic benefits as the demand for clean energy solutions continues to grow around the world.
