Acquired in 2021, Big Sky Wind is a 240MW wind farm in central Illinois in the US. Vitol has invested $270 million in the site to repower the wind farm, replacing the existing turbines with the latest wind technology. In total 109 turbines were replaced with new, highly efficient blades.
The upgrade was completed in the summer of 2022, and the wind farm began operating in October of the same year.
The repowering has increased both the lifespan of the project as well as its efficacy, with a 60% uplift in production by the end of 2022. That’s enough to power 112,000 homes.
Big Sky Wind will displace 621,000 tons of CO2 emissions every year and avoid carbon emissions equivalent to 135,000 passenger cars each year.
The Big Sky Wind team engaged significantly with the community throughout the project’s duration. This included getting involved in events, donating to local environmental causes and supporting local charitable organisations.