Duke Energy Renewables announces commercial operation of i50-MW Frontier II wind farm

Press Release

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Duke Energy Renewables, a commercial business unit of Duke Energy announces the commercial operation of the largest windpower project in its fleet – the 350-megawatt (MW) Frontier Windpower II project in Kay County.

The project is an expansion of the 200-MW Frontier Windpower project, operational since 2016. Together, Frontier I and II are generating a total of 550 MW of wind energy – enough to power about 193,000 average-size homes.

AT&T and Ball Corp. have signed 15-year virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs) for 160 MW and 161 MW, respectively. These VPPAs will settle on an as-generated basis tied to Frontier II’s real-time energy output.

“We’re pleased to be working with AT&T and Ball Corp. on the Frontier II project, which is located in an area that has some of the best wind resources in the country,” said Chris Fallon, president of Duke Energy Renewables. “This project further demonstrates how we can address the community’s need for clean energy resources, while providing unique sustainability solutions for our customers.”

Scott Mahir, president of AT&T network engineering and operations, said, “At AT&T, we believe renewable energy is good for the planet, for our business, and for the communities we serve. With more than 1.5 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, our portfolio delivers clean electricity to the grid, helps to create jobs and community benefits, and supports the transition to a low-carbon economy. This is an important piece of our journey to reach carbon neutrality across our global operations by 2035.”

Kathleen Pitre, chief commercial office and chief sustainability officer of Ball Corp., added, “In 2019 Ball Corporation released new climate goals approved by the Science Based Target Initiative, including a 55 percent absolute reduction in our Scope One and Scope Two greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, with a significant portion of that reduction coming from our global transition to renewable energy. Partnering with Duke Energy on the Frontier II project is a momentous step in helping Ball achieve our Science Based Targets, reduce the carbon footprint of our beverage cans and support our customers’ sustainability goals.

“As the largest aluminum beverage packaging manufacturer in the world and a leading corporate buyer of renewable energy in our industry, the Frontier II project will contribute to Ball meeting our target to address 100 percent of our North American electricity load with renewable energy,” Pitre said.

During peak construction, the wind project created about 250 jobs. Along with indirect economic benefits that accompany wind project development, such as increased local spending in the service and construction industries, Frontier II will also have a positive economic impact on the local community by providing significant local tax revenues during assessment years of commercial operation to the county and local school districts, as well as meaningful payments to participating landowners.

Nordex Group supplied 74 4.8-MW wind turbines for the site. Amshore Renewable Energy provided development support for the project, and Wanzek Construction was the contractor.

The 350-MW Frontier Windpower II project will produce enough energy to power about 123,000 average homes.

Duke Energy is one of the nation’s top renewable energy providers, and this project supports Duke Energy’s plans to double its enterprise renewable portfolio from 8 GW to 16 GW by the end of 2025.