Rivian signs PPA with wind farm to help power its clean EV charging network

Courtesy: RWE

Electric vehicle manufacturer and solar financier Rivian has signed a 15-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for the electricity from a soon-to-be upgraded RWE wind farm in West Texas.

RWE’s 127-megawatt (MW) Champion Wind in Nolan and Mitchell Counties, TX will help power Rivian’s fast-charging network, the Rivian Adventure Network, with clean energy. Champion Wind is currently being upgraded with new, state-of-the-art, made-in-the-USA turbine nacelles and blades that will extend the facility’s lifetime. Its repowering will be completed in mid-2025, according to RWE.

Rivian claims to power its charging networks with 100% renewable energy, but the truth is a bit murkier than that. The company matches or exceeds each kilowatt-hour its chargers deliver by purchasing (and sometimes developing) renewable energy generated elsewhere. Rivian considers a given area’s current energy composition- namely how much of the fuel mix comes from fossil fuels- and then “fills in the gap” to reach 100% renewables by adding those resources to communities where their chargers operate or in places where the grid heavily relies on fossil fuels.

When Champion Wind resumes operations, it will generate enough electricity to power nearly 1 billion miles of renewable driving every year, the equivalent of 36,000 homes annually in Texas.

The 127 MW Champion Wind farm in Texas. Courtesy: RWE

“Champion Wind is a powerful enabler for Rivian drivers to become active participants in building a cleaner grid every time they charge their vehicle,” said Paul Frey, the vice president of propulsion, charging, and adventure products at Rivian. “This project shows the potential to meaningfully decarbonize the grid and support a more circular economy through reuse and recovery of existing infrastructure, all while maintaining highly competitive economics.”

RWE partnered with M.A. Mortenson Company to build Champion Wind, which was commissioned in 2008. Construction began earlier this year to repower the facility. Siemens Gamesa will supply 41 turbines with new nacelles and blades on existing towers. In addition, as part of the repowering project, the wind farm will have six new Siemens Gamesa turbines rated at 3.1 MW. RWE is partnering with Iowa-based REGEN Fiber to repurpose the decommissioned wind turbine blades from Champion, helping to ensure they will not end up in landfills. REGEN Fiber’s 100% recycled reinforcement fibers are then added to concrete, adding strength and durability, while extending infrastructure’s lifespan.

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