News + press

There are many voices on sustainability—so many, in fact, that it may be difficult to decipher the true issues and solutions that face our continent and the world. ACCIONA offers an equally pragmatic and passionate perspective on renewable energy, sustainable clean water and infrastructure. We aim to educate as well as take action. We are a leading owner and operator of wind farms, a concentrating solar plant and desalination plants in North America, as well as a company using sustainable building practices to develop roads, hospitals and other key public infrastructures.

We welcome press and analysts to get in touch with us to discuss our vision for North America and how we are making a difference today.

For press inquiries, please contact:
news@acciona-na.com

Acciona North America in the news

December 2009

2009 IN REVIEW: EcoGrove wind farm opens near Lena (The Journal-Standard)
Date: 12/31/2009

Lena, Ill. - Acciona Energy opened its 67-turbine EcoGrove wind farm outside Lena in the summer of 2009, a project that local officials hope will place Stephenson County on the forefront of a renewable energy revolution in northwest Illinois.

Storing the sun’s heat (Las Vegas Sun)
Date: 12/31/2009

Nevada, Arizona race to be the first to use emerging...

U.S. Army Launches Huge Solar Project in Mojave Desert (Electrical Contractor)
Date: 12/30/2009

The federal government owns approximately 650 million acres of land. That’s nearly 30 percent of all U.S. land, and much of it is unused desert. Now a 21-square-mile area of federal property in the Mojave Desert is scheduled to become a 500-megawatt (MW) solar power system to serve the U.

Lompoc Wind Farm Targeted to Break Ground in 2010 (KCOY)
Date: 12/24/2009

12.24.09 SANTA BARBARA COUNTY - Harley McDonald is project developer for the planned Lompoc Wind Farm on about three thousand acres of ranch land at the southern tip of Miguelito Canyon Road.

ACCIONA Prepares for New Wind Project (The Bioenergy Site)
Date: 12/18/2009

US - Spanish company ACCIONA Energy is preparing to build a new wind farm in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma. The Dempsey Ridge Wind Farm will have 66 turbines spread over more than 8,000 acres according to a report on News OK.

Spanish company plans 2nd wind farm in Oklahoma Still days are needed to put up the project’s more than 13 dozen turbines (News OK (AP))
Date: 12/17/2009

Another wind farm is ready to spring from the ground in western Oklahoma. ACCIONA Energy is preparing to ramp up engineering and equipment acquisition for the 132-megawatt wind farm in Roger Mills County.

Sears Canada Hosts "Live Green Toronto" Booth at Toronto Eaton Centre Store (Zibb)
Date: 12/15/2009

Torontonians can sign the Hopenhagen Petition on site Sears Canada Inc. (TSX: SCC) is pleased to join with the City of Toronto on climate change initiatives by hosting a "Live Green Toronto" booth at the Yonge and Dundas entrance of its Toronto Eaton Centre store.

Where the Wind Comes Sweepin? Down the Plain (Electric Light & Power)
Date: 12/14/2009

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II knew the power of Oklahoma’s wind in 1947 when they wrote of it “sweepin’ down the plain” in the show tune “Oklahoma!” The lyrics resonated so well with Okies that the Legislature declared it the official state song in 1953.

Some blue-chip companies see carbon price and legal framework as keys to future (World Business Council for Sustainable Development)
Date: 12/14/2009

- The chief executive officers of some of the biggest companies in the world agreed on Friday that a price on carbon and government support to change consumer behavior are keys to them offering more environmentally friendly products that would make money at the same time.

ACCIONA completes largest wind farm in Latin America (Renewable Energy Focus)
Date: 12/1/2009

ACCIONA Energy has completed construction of its largest wind farm in the world and the largest facility in Latin America.

Utility-Scale Solar Power (Pennenergy)
Date: 12/1/2009

‘The technological breakthroughs we have achieved, coupled with our expertise, has enabled us to take a qualitative leap forward in our power tower technology.

November 2009

ACCIONA Completes Wind Park in Latin America (The Bioenergy Site)
Date: 11/24/2009

MEXICO - ACCIONA Energy has completed the assembly of the Eurus windpark in Mexico, a 250.5 MW facility that represents an investment of $550 million ( 367 million).

Wind energy, natural gas among topics at Oklahoma Wind Energy (Find Articles - BNET)
Date: 11/23/2009

Are natural gas and wind going to be partners or competitors as sources to generate electricity? This question will be among the topics discussed at Revolution 2009: the Oklahoma Wind Energy Conference scheduled Dec.

County may consider wind farm zoning change (The Journal-Standard)
Date: 11/12/2009

Freeport, Ill. - Stephenson County Board member Jeff Mikkelsen said he will introduce a proposal to make wind farms a permitted use within the zoning ordinance to eliminate the need for a special use permit.

A Straw and a Big Cup (Water World)
Date: 11/12/2009

Source: www.twdb.state.tx.us The plant's high pressure RO feed pumps push source water through each membrane at up to 1,000 pounds per square inch (psi).

ACCIONA net profit rises 255% to 1,229 million euros (Your Industry News Blogs)
Date: 11/12/2009

ACCIONA registered in the first nine months of 2009 a net profit of 1,229 million euros, a rise of 254.9% compared to the same period of last year, including activities ceased due to the sell-off of Endesa.

UI in running for prized wind turbine test facility (iStock Analyst)
Date: 11/7/2009

(Source: The Gazette - Cedar Rapids, Iowa)By Dave DeWitte, The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Nov. 7--IOWA CITY -- The University of Iowa has assembled a $78 million proposal to become the site of the world's first test site for large-scale wind turbines.

Strategic reorganization of Acciona (Reve)
Date: 11/6/2009

Esteban Morrás, who formerly led the Energy Division, has submitted his resignation for personal reasons. The Board of Directors wishes to publicly express its thanks to Mr.

Green in the Desert (Silobreaker)
Date: 11/4/2009

Southern Nevada PushesSustainable Development With two of CityCenter’s hotels receiving LEED gold, Smith Center pursuing silver and Nevada Solar One expanding, Southern Nevada has gone green.

October 2009

ICAD Leader: I.C. Area Luring New Business Despite Downturn (iStock Analyst)
Date: 10/30/2009

(Source: The Gazette - Cedar Rapids, Iowa)By George C. Ford, The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Oct. 30--IOWA CITY -- The Iowa City Area Development Group helped seven companies in fiscal year 2009, resulting in more than $12 million in local capital investment and an estimated 172 new jobs, according to its...

You Don't Need a Weatherman to Know Which Way the Wind Blows (CFO.com)
Date: 10/28/2009

But we do need a national energy policy to stimulate wind, solar, and other renewable fuel projects, says Acciona Energy North America's CFO, Susan Nickey.

U.S. Army Selects ACCIONA Solar Power To Develop Its Largest-Ever Renewables Project (Power Online)
Date: 10/15/2009

HENDERSON, NEV.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has selected the team of ACCIONA Solar Power and the Clark Energy Group to develop a large-scale solar energy project (the first phase, consisting of 5 sites that total 500 MW) at one of its most iconic installations: the Fort Irwin military...

WBCSD Announces New Chairman (World Business Council for Sustainable Development)
Date: 10/14/2009

- The World Business Council for Sustainable Development, which is holding its annual meeting in Washington, elected its new chairman today. He is Jorma Ollila, the chairman of Royal Dutch Shell plc and chairman of the board of the Nokia Corporation.

Vestas Losing Share In Wind Market As GE, Chinese Come On (TechPulse 360)
Date: 10/7/2009

A recent study points to dramatic changes sweeping through the wind energy market. Vestas Wind Systems of Denmark remains the top wind turbine vendor in the market.

Companies eager for seats at turbine table (The Daily American)
Date: 10/5/2009

ROCKFORD, Ill. - Chicago may be the Windy City, but Rockford wants to be the one that makes wind turbines turn. Manufacturers, assemblers and fabricators see many opportunities to become links in the supply chain.

RBC Receives Germanischer Lloyd Certification For Pitch And Yaw Bearings (Silobreaker)
Date: 10/3/2009

Oxford, Conn.-based RBC Bearings has received a letter of conformance from Germanischer Lloyd (GL) for pitch and yaw bearings for the Acciona Windpower wind turbine generator.

September 2009

500 business leaders call for "an ambitious, robust and equitable global deal" on climate change (Media Newswire)
Date: 9/22/2009

The business leaders of over 500 companies from around the world will this morning publish The Copenhagen Communique calling on world leaders to agree "an ambitious, robust and equitable global deal on climate change that responds credibly to the scale and urgency of the crisis facing the world today".

Acciona Inaugurates 100.5MW EcoGrove Wind Farm (iStock Analyst)
Date: 9/22/2009

(Source: Datamonitor)Acciona Energy North America has inaugurated its 100.5MW EcoGrove wind farm, located in Stephenson County, Illinois. Using 67 Acciona Windpower 1.

Three years in the making: EcoGrove Wind Farm formally begins operation (The Journal-Standard)
Date: 9/18/2009

Lena, Ill. - “We are here today celebrating the dedication of the EcoGrove Wind Farm,” said Peter Duprey, CEO Acciona North America. “It has been about three years in the making.

Wind farm dedication set for September 18 (The Journal-Standard)
Date: 9/14/2009

Freeport, Ill. - To Jeff Hammond, the upcoming dedication ceremony Friday, Sept. 18, for the EcoGrove wind farm northwest of Lena will be a great opportunity to discuss the farm and honor those in the community who helped make the project possible.

Army Works to Cut Its Carbon ‘Bootprint’ (PEI)
Date: 9/10/2009

The Army of Washington, Pershing and Patton is starting to measure its carbon footprint, part of a broader emphasis on the costs of climate change. An environmental, health and safety management system called Enviance, piloted at Fort Carson in Colorado, is being rolled out to 11 more Army facilities around..

August 2009

CEO: Western Farmers Electric Cooperative pushes for wind, natural gas usage (Journal Record)
Date: 8/25/2009

MIDWEST CITY – Western Farmers Electric Cooperative added 300 megawatts of power generation capacity in the last year and plans to add more smart generation from natural gas and wind, Gary Roulet, CEO, said on Tuesday at the 2009 Oklahoma Emerging Technology Conference in Midwest City.

Acciona Secures Wind Project Funding, Eyes DOE Loan Guarantees (Dow Jones Financial Information Services)
Date: 8/19/2009

Acciona North America locked in tax equity and debt financing for a $252 million, 123-megawatt wind power project in Oklahoma, where strong winds led the developer to choose tax-credit financing over the U.

Acciona Closes Financing for Wind Farm (TulsaBusiness.com)
Date: 8/18/2009

Acciona closes two simultaneous project finance transactions — a tax equity and a debt transaction — which, in combination with sponsor equity from Acciona, provide long-term funding for the approximately $252 million capital investment in the company’s 123 MW Red Hills Wind Farm that went online this spring.

Clark Eneryg, Acciona to Build Army Solar Project (SustainableBusiness.com)
Date: 8/3/2009

SustainableBusiness.com News The U.S. Army has selected Clark Energy Group and Spanish renewable-energy developer Acciona (ACXIF.PK) to build a 500-megawatt (MW) solar-power project at Ft.

July 2009

Arlington, VA, USA: Clark-Acciona Selected for 500MW Solar Project (Solarbuzz)
Date: 7/31/2009

Clark Energy Group, an affiliate of Clark Realty Capital, has been selected to develop the largest solar power project in Department of Defense history at Fort Irwin, California.

Army Green: Ft. Irwin Has Builders for 500 MW Solar Project (WSJ Blogs)
Date: 7/31/2009

The U.S. Army s National Training Center at Ft. Irwin, California, is where the army prepares for its toughest missions. Now Ft. Irwin has another: Step to the front of the Army s efforts to get greener.

Cuomo: Wind companies sign ethics code (The Business Journal of Greater Milwaukee)
Date: 7/29/2009

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said today that major companies with New York wind power farms have signed an ethics code that will govern their operations.

Experts say wind energy key to Oklahoma economy (High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal)
Date: 7/26/2009

NORMAN, Okla. (AP)--Oklahoma has vast potential for the development of the renewable resource and it could be a boon to the state's economy, speakers at a wind energy conference said June 23.

Wind power on track for 20% share by 2030 (EE Times)
Date: 7/20/2009

PORTLAND, Ore. Wind power is on track for a 10-fold increase that would supply 20 percent of U.S. generated electricity by 2030, according to the annual Wind Power Report from the U.

Weekly Investor Round Up (SustainableBusiness.com)
Date: 7/17/2009

SustainableBusiness.com News There were loads of big stories this week. Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM), which has been harshly criticized for refusing to pursue renewable energy development, announced Tuesday that it has agreed to invest upwards of $600 million in an algae-to-biofuels venture.

Mitsubishi, Acciona To Invest EUR 2B on Joint Projects (SustainableBusiness.com)
Date: 7/16/2009

SustainableBusiness.com News Mitsubishi Corporation (MBI.DE) and Spanish company Acciona S.A. (ACXIF.PK) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, for a comprehensive strategic alliance.

Wind Industry Overcomes Drawbacks (TulsaBusiness.com)
Date: 7/6/2009

Wind power is a renewable energy source that requires no fuel to operate. it does not produce any emissions that are harmful to the environment. Wind turbines are made of plastic and metallic materials, so they don’t have any radioactive or chemical impact either.

June 2009

Regional Wind Energy Conference Garners Great Interest (RenableEnergyWorld.com)
Date: 6/30/2009

Oklahoma, United States [RenewableEnergyWorld.com] The wind industry is hot. It's popular -- perhaps more popular than positively polled President Obama or the newly elected American Idol.

Study shows green energy jobs growing at 2.5 times higher rate (Pahrump Valley Times)
Date: 6/26/2009

The number of jobs in America's emerging green energy grew at a rate two and a half times faster than jobs overall between 1998 and 2007, according to a report released last week by the Pew Charitable Trust.

Hiester: Long-range transmission needed to move wind power (Journal Record)
Date: 6/24/2009

NORMAN – Tom Hiester describes himself as one of the grandfathers of the wind energy industry in the U.S. Daniel Belen with Catch The Wind at the Wind Commerce 2009: The Future is Now conference Tuesday explains to Gary Geitering with Blum Farms how a Vindicator laser wind sensor works to improve the...

Can Wind Power Get Up to Speed? (Time Magazine (Asia))
Date: 6/23/2009

Pop quiz: what source of power doesn't come out of the ground, doesn't burn and isn't radioactive? Hint: it contributed the most new electricity generation to the U.

Acciona completes 123 MW wind farm in Oklahoma (Electric Light & Power)
Date: 6/22/2009

– Acciona Energy North America completed its 123 MW Red Hills Wind Farm near Elk City, Oklahoma. This is the first renewable energy project the company has developed and built in the state.

New wind farm in far western Oklahoma is 9th to open in state, with more planned (NewsChannel 4 KFOR.com)
Date: 6/20/2009

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A new wind farm in far western Oklahoma that recently began delivering energy is the ninth in the state. Officials from Acciona Energy North America gathered Saturday for a dedication ceremony for the Red Hills Wind Farm, located in Roger Mills and Custer counties near the towns of Elk...

UPDATE 1-Acciona sees two thirds 2009 earnings from energy (Reuters US News)
Date: 6/4/2009

7:45am EDT (Adds detail) MADRID, June 4 (Reuters) - Spanish conglomerate Acciona (ANA.MC) will receive over two thirds of core earnings from energy in 2009 and profit will continue to be exposed to volatile power prices, the company said on Thursday.

MEDIA ADVISORY: PennFuture’s Annual Green Energy Conference, Thursday, June 4, 2009 (Business Wire)
Date: 6/2/2009

--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future: PUC Chair James Cawley, Cabinet Members John Hanger (DEP) and John Quigley (DCNR), Legislative Leaders, Philadelphia’s Sustainability Director Mark Alan Hughes to join Energy Executives and Financiers at “Stimulating Pennsylvania’s Green Energy Economy”..

May 2009

Giving something back: Wind farm company donates to McConnell boat launch project (The Journal-Standard)
Date: 5/12/2009

McConnell, Ill. - Lena park officials say a recent donation of gravel and rock material from the Acciona wind farm company has gone a long way toward helping complete the parking lot at the McConnell’s “Bobtown” Landing boat launch west of McConnell.

April 2009

Rice Appointed CFO At Acciona (Solar Industry)
Date: 4/24/2009

Acciona Solar Power has named Greg M. Rice chief financial officer (CFO). Rice assumes oversight of the company's financial planning, among other responsibilities.

Iowa Bills Promote Wind Energy (North American Windpower)
Date: 4/24/2009

Gov. Chet Culver, D-Iowa, has signed two bills designed to expand Iowa's wind energy industry. Senate File 456 utilizes unused tax credits to promote small wind energy projects across the state.

New Wind Farm Approved For Western Kansas (Kake)
Date: 4/22/2009

Tuesday, April 21, 2009 Another new wind farm could soon be popping up in western Kansas. Hamilton County commissioners recently approved Bear Creek Wind Farm to be built 10 miles south of Coolidge.

Iowa Economic Development Awards Announced (USAgNet)
Date: 4/17/2009

Governor Chet Culver Thursday announced awards from Iowa Department of Economic Development for entrepreneurial expansions in Adel, Elkader, and Le Mars and modernization of a wind energy plant in West Branch.

NaturEner in area completing Phase II of Glacier Wind Project and continuing Rim Rock Project (Golden Triangle Newspapers)
Date: 4/15/2009

NaturEner USA is back in Toole and Glacier counties with plans to finish Phase II of the Glacier Wind Project and continue development of its Rim Rock Project, which will be the largest wind farm in Montana and the Northwest.

Acciona Agua Contracts with Energy Recovery for Desal Plant (Water & Wastewater News)
Date: 4/3/2009

Energy Recovery, Inc. (ERI) announced on March 31 it was awarded the 75,000 m3/d energy recovery technology contract from Acciona Agua for the Paraguaná seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant in Venezuela.

March 2009

Testing under way at area wind farm (Industrial Wind Action Group)
Date: 3/24/2009

Project officials say all 67 turbines have been erected for the EcoGrove Wind LLC wind farm northwest of Lena. Now, each turbine will have to be "commissioned" before the farm can begin generating power.

AP: Kansas wind farm industry growing (The Garden City Telegram)
Date: 3/20/2009

in News NASHVILLE (AP) — Two new wind farms in Kansas will make the state one of the few in the country with more than 1,000 megawatts of electricity generated every year by wind power.

Acciona Begins Construction On Third Concentrating Solar Power Plant (Solar Industry)
Date: 3/12/2009

Acciona Energy has started construction work on a 50 MW concentrated solar power (CSP) plant at Majadas de Tietar, located near Caceres, Spain. The facility is slated to enter service in summer 2010 and will use solar trough technology.

Spain's Acciona Shifts Operations, Plans to Focus on Renewable Energy (The Wall Street Journal)
Date: 3/9/2009

By BERND RADOWITZ MADRID -- Spanish conglomerate Acciona SA is shuffling operations to focus on renewable energy in a move to capitalize on eco-friendly government incentives in the U.

February 2009

California Wind Farm Wins Approval (Domestic Fuel)
Date: 2/15/2009

A wind energy project in Southern California soon could be lighting up 50,000 homes. The Acciona Wind Energy USA wind farm will be Santa Barbara County’s first renewable wind-energy project after the county Board of Supervisors gave unanimous approval to the project.

Lompoc wind farm approved (Pacific Coast Business Times)
Date: 2/15/2009

Santa Barbara County supervisors on Feb. 10 approved the county’s first wind farm project, which could provide enough electricity to serve up to 50,000 homes.

Supes Okay Lompoc Wind Farm (Santa Barbara Independent)
Date: 2/12/2009

Thanks to a unanimous February 10 vote of support from the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, a large-scale wind farm will likely be up and running in the foothills southwest of Lompoc sometime next year.

Supervisors say yes to wind farm project (The Lompoc Record (AP))
Date: 2/11/2009

Santa Barbara County’s first renewable wind-energy project, which proponents say could provide enough electricity to serve up to 50,000 homes, was given hands-down approval Tuesday by the county Board of Supervisors.

Lompoc wind farm gets supervisors’ stamp of approval (Santa Maria Times)
Date: 2/11/2009

Santa Barbara County’s first renewable wind-energy project, which proponents say could provide enough electricity to serve up to 50,000 homes, was given hands-down approval Tuesday by the county Board of Supervisors.

America’s wind corridor (The Christian Science Monitor (AP))
Date: 2/10/2009

By Mark Clayton | Staff Writer for The Christian Science Monitor from the February 5, 2009 Cedar Rapids and Estherville, Iowa Hundreds of workers lost their jobs after the Rockwell-Goss printing press factory closed here in Cedar Rapids in 2001.

Old-tech towns harness the wind (Santa Fe New Mexican (AP))
Date: 2/10/2009

CEDAR RAPIDS AND ESTHERVILLE, Iowa — Hundreds of workers lost their jobs after the Rockwell-Goss printing press factory closed here in Cedar Rapids in 2001.

Energy progress (Corridor Business Journal)
Date: 2/8/2009

The last few weeks have marked milestones across the energy spectrum for Iowa. When looked at as a whole they illustrate that Iowa has a practical mix of energy resources which enables us to continue to lead towards energy independence.

New Brunswick stakes its future on energy (Investment Executive)
Date: 2/6/2009

High Growth Forecasted for the Wind Turbine Systems & Components Market in the US (DiGiTAL50.com)
Date: 2/5/2009

- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report related to the Renewable energies industry is available in its catalogue. Wind Turbine Systems & Components Market in the US http://www.

'Team Nevada' Formed to Attract Renewable Energy Industry, Leveraging State's Natural Resources... (Forbes.com)
Date: 2/5/2009

Private-public initiative debuts March 10-12 at Las Vegas Global Expo CARSON CITY, Nev., Feb. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Sun. Wind. Steam. Nevada has plenty of each and it's taking a major step to become a leader in developing renewable energy by attracting businesses large and small, while supporting new..

100 Most Sustainable Companies 2009 (Environmental Leader)
Date: 2/4/2009

Corporate Knights Inc and Innovest Strategic Value Advisors announced its fifth annual list of the 100 most sustainable corporations in the world at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Rising wind (Estherville Daily News)
Date: 2/2/2009

Iowa No. 2 in wind production ... soon No.

1. Concentrated Solar Power (TIME CNN)
Date: 2/2/2009

January 2009

ON THE FARM: Local group tours wind turbine plant (The Journal-Standard)
Date: 1/25/2009

West Branch, Iowa - The Acciona wind turbine generator assembly plant was the destination of a bus load of people from northwest Illinois last Wednesday.

Wind Power: A gust of green for the Northern Plains (Prairie Business Magazine)
Date: 1/9/2009

A growing number of spinning wind turbines dot the sparsely-populated rural landscape of the Northern Great Plains. Giant towers and turbines stretch as far as the eye can see at mammoth wind farms in the region with even more of the hulking structures on the horizon.