The United States has been developing a new surge of energy through several new projects that will boost the nation’s energy output capacity in the new year. While the vast majority of the new power additions are coming from the conventional oil and gas market, one project is standing firm in the face of adversity: the SunZia Wind Project. Being developed by Pattern Energy, a market-leading wind energy utility in the US, Pattern has noted that the construction is picking up the pace and expects to commence operations in 2026.
The SunZia Wind project will become a landmark achievement for the US wind market
The project will become the largest onshore wind project in the Western hemisphere once completed next year. Pattern Energy, the project developer, has leveraged the expertise of some of the largest energy companies in the international market to bring the project to fruition. According to Pattern Energy, the project will define what the US wind energy market is capable of and become the cornerstone of renewable energy production in the United States.
The SunZia wind project will serve the growing demand for clean energy in the Western US. The project will span across New Mexico and Arizona, running through the desert region and providing renewable energy resources for the growing industrial and AI market in the United States. With a total estimated cost of approximately $11 billion, it represents the ambitious future of the clean energy market in the United States, which has been suffering cutbacks in recent months.
The wind energy market in the US has been subjected to pushback from the federal government
Donald Trump’s administration has been actively rolling back the progress made by the wind energy sector under the Biden administration. Trump has, on numerous occasions, expressed his dismay with the advancement of the wind energy sector and the renewable energy market overall, calling it “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world.”
Despite the pushback, the SunZia wind project is advancing towards 2026
Having commenced with construction in 2023, the project is heading towards a 2026 completion date. The SunZia wind project will become a milestone project for Pattern Energy and position the company at the forefront of the global clean energy production market. The considerably large project will feature a wide range of infrastructure assets, such as:
- A 3,500 MW (3.5 GW) Wind Farm
- a 550-mile, 525 kV high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line
- several SunZia West DC/AC converter stations
- two 500 kV AC tie lines
Pattern Energy has stated that the energy generated by the project will be transported from New Mexico via the 3000 MW SunZia Transmission bidirectional HVDC link to south-central Arizona. As the Empire Wind project is set to start delivering energy to the New York state grid in 2026, the SunZia project is aiming to continue the expansion of the US wind sector, albeit at a snail’s pace.
“We believe in being good neighbors through long-term engagement. Pattern Energy commits to respecting landowners and communities that host our projects through relationship building, open communication, listening, and receiving feedback.” – Pattern Energy
The SunZia Wind project will consist of hundreds of wind turbines
The necessary wind turbines will be supplied by GE Vernova, which will supply 674 turbines, each with a 3.6 MW output capacity, and Vestas, which will provide 242 Vestas V163 turbines. General Electric Vernova will leverage the significant expertise it has developed through projects like the Gurbanesti wind project in Romania to ensure its wind turbines meet the required energy output that the SunZia project needs. Hitachi Energy Partner will provide the necessary HVDC transmission technology & support to bring the project to a full-scale commissioning in the new year.
