By Kari Williamson

“The AW-3000 turbines at Pioneer Grove will produce more power, more efficiently than anything we’ve installed before,” says Joe Baker, CEO of ACCIONA Windpower North America.

“With technology like the AW-3000, we can drive down energy costs and begin to take full advantage of our clean energy resources.”

The Pioneer Grove Wind Farm is located nearest to the town of Mechanicsville, Iowa. Construction is expected to be complete in the second half of 2012, and the wind farm already has a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO).

The enhanced AW-3000 machine with a 116 m rotor diameter was introduced in 2011, and is designed for sites with medium wind speeds.

Two towers

The Pioneer Grove Wind Farm will utilise two different wind turbine tower technologies with the AW-3000. One tower will be constructed to a height of 92 m, using steel, while the other tower uses a new concrete solution and measures 100 m.