Location: Coke County, TX
Project Start Date: 2008
Standard: Verified Carbon Standard (VCS)
Project Owner: NextEra Energy Resources
Capacity: 662.5 MW

Project Details

NativeEnergy worked with NextEra, one of the largest wind energy developers in the US, to utilize carbon offset revenues to help accelerate the development of wind projects. The Capricorn Ridge Wind Project was the first wind project in the US to sell verified offsets under VCS. This project operates as a merchant plant, meaning it was built to serve the spot market. Most wind projects that get built in the US rely on long term contracts. The fact that this project does not have a long term contract further supports the additionality of the offsets it is generating.

Impact & Benefits

The Capricorn Ridge Project provides the following benefits:

• Uses a wind generation plant with a capacity of 112.5 megawatts, consisting of seventy-five 1.5 megawatt GE turbines
• Avoids an average of 160,000 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year
• Employs a local staff and adds to the tax base to Sterling and Coke counties
• Provides economic stimulus of landowner lease payments
• Allows land to remain in agricultural use
• Supports economy through purchases of regional goods and services
• Creates no air or water pollution and uses no water in the generation of electricity

Validation & Verification

This project has been validated and the carbon emissions reductions have been verified to the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS).