Clipper Wind announced the sale of 70 MW worth of Liberty wind turbines and the Criterion wind farm project to Constellation Energy, a Maryland based fortune 500 company.

Criterion wind farm is scheduled for start of construction in 2010, and is anticipated to be Maryland's first wind energy project so far.

Under the agreement, Constellation Energy will purchase 28 Liberty 2.5 MW wind turbines, made by Clipper. The turbines will be installed on the Criterion wind farm, now also in ownership of Constellation. Clipper Wind will provide installation, maintenance and service under a long-term agreement. This will feature 24/7 operation monitoring through Clipper's Remote Maintenance and Diagnostic Center located in Iowa, at the company's Cedar Rapids manufacturing facility. Construction of the wind farm is expected to begin in Spring 2010, while completion is expected sometime during Autumn 2010.

Criterion wind farm will be located on Backbone Mountain in Garret County, Maryland. The project was initiated in 2001, but had to wait for numerous studies and assessments to be completed.

The amount involved in the sales agreement was not disclosed.

[source: Clipper Wind, image: Clipper Wind]