On July 7, Amazon, the well-known e-commerce giant, joined forces with their partners AES Clean Energy to unveil the Delta wind farm project in Tunica, Mississippi. This endeavor marks Mississippi’s first utility-scale wind farm and aligns with Amazon’s ambitious goal of running all its operations on renewable energy by 2025. Situated in Tunica County, the innovative project will feature 41 wind turbines harnessing the powerful winds from the Mississippi Delta. What makes this facility unique is its dual-use approach, with the agricultural area surrounding the turbines utilized for cultivating rice, soybeans, corn, and wheat. According to the company, they have scheduled the wind farm to start operating in 2024.
Amazon has partnered with AES Clean Energy, the developer, and owner-operator of the Delta wind farm. The county and school district can expect to receive substantial tax revenue amounting to tens of millions of dollars as a result of this collaboration. The project has already begun generating economic benefits, providing employment opportunities to local builders and suppliers. During peak construction, it is projected to create nearly 300 jobs, further enhancing the local economy.
The significance of Delta wind farm project in Tunica
Once fully operational, the wind farm is set to produce approximately 1,850 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of clean energy annually. This substantial output will be sufficient to power over 174,600 homes in the United States. Amazon’s commitment to renewable energy extends beyond Mississippi, with a total of 30 renewable energy projects across the Southeast region. These projects encompass solar and wind initiatives in states such as Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and North Carolina. Collectively, these projects will have a capacity exceeding 7,500 GWh, providing power to more than 713,000 US households each year.
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Charley Daitch, Director of Energy and Water Strategy at Amazon Web Services (AWS), emphasized the company’s dedication to local communities. Daitch stated, “Amazon is on a path to powering our operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025. And we want to ensure that the local communities where our customers live and work are also benefiting from the solar and wind projects that we support. These energy projects not only contribute to clean energy grids. But also create jobs, support local businesses and farmers, and bolster the rural tax base in the Southeast. They form a crucial part of Amazon’s commitment to becoming a more sustainable company.”
