Today marked the historic signing of the first foreign invested wind energy project in Argentina. The Argentine Minister of Planning, Julio De Vido, signed a project agreement with Tian Lin Zhi, chairman of the Chinese company SINOWIND Technologies, at a ceremony held in the St. Regis Hotel in Beijing.

The project, “El Angelito”, is a 200MW wind farm to be built in Patagonia. At a cost of US$440 million, the project will supply clean electric power to southern Argentina, and nationwide through interconnection with the National Grid.

Chinese and Argentinean construction companies will begin work on the project in 2015, and the project will begin delivering electricity to the grid next year. The project will use world-class turbine equipment and technology provided by Goldwind Technologies of China.

Minister De Vido said, “Energy is one of Argentina’s highest priorities. Cooperation with China in clean, renewable energy is of benefit to both sides. We hope to expand this type of cooperation in the future.”

Chairman Tian expressed her gratitude to the Chinese and Argentine governments for their support of clean energy development. This project demonstrates the clean energy policies of both governments. The construction period for wind power projects is short and highly efficient, and can help quickly relieve some of the stress on Argentina’s power grid. She called the project ‘a model’ for other clean energy projects to be undertaken by China in Argentina, and throughout Latin America.