Mortenson Construction Celebrates 15-Year Anniversary as a Pioneer in Wind Power

Minneapolis, MN  — With wind farms sprouting up all over America, many Americans might take these new sources of clean, natural renewable energy for granted.  But just 15 years ago, Mortenson Construction, a family owned Minneapolis construction firm, joined what was then a pioneering movement and erected its first wind turbine for Vestas near Adair, Iowa, along Interstate 80.

Today, Mortenson is one of the largest contractors of wind power projects throughout the United States and Canada.  With wind power projects currently under construction throughout the U.S. and Canada, the company is nearing a major milestone—its 100th wind power project.  By the end of this year, the company will have erected more than 5,000 wind turbines in 26 states and Canadian provinces generating approximately 10,000 megawatts of clean, renewable energy for 2.4 million American and Canadian households.  In the process, the company’s Renewable Energy Groups has built a sizeable reputation as innovators in establishing construction techniques and approaches that have set the standard throughout the wind power industry.

Back in 1995, generating electricity from wind power in the United States was still very much in its infancy.  Not one to shy away from big or unique challenges, Mortenson accepted its first turbine erection project as an opportunity to live its vision of “building what’s next.”  Nearly 100 wind projects later, Mortenson is a leading builder of wind power projects in North America, with a 24 percent share of the wind power construction market. Engineering News-Record ranked Mortenson as the 13th largest power contractor in the U.S. for 2010. Mortenson’s Renewable Energy Groups are 100% focused on renewable energy.

What began as a seed of an opportunity has grown into much more than anyone could have dreamed 15 years ago.  From wind power, Mortenson’s Renewable Energy Groups have expanded their energy footprint over the years to include solar, biofuels, and hydro-electric power. 

“With the worldwide emphasis on seeking alternative forms of clean, natural, renewable energy to traditional forms of power generation,” said Tom Wacker, senior vice president of Mortenson’s Renewable Energy Groups, “we believe Mortenson is strategically and financially positioned to help the power industry build what’s next, in terms of innovation, and what’s right, in terms of what’s good for the environment.”
 
In solar, Mortenson has been engaged in preplanning efforts, including the design and construction of utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP) projects throughout the United States. In addition to building PV projects, Mortenson’s Renewable Energy Groups recently built a 1.5-megawatt Maricopa Solar plant in Peoria, Ariz. for Tessera Solar North America, featuring the SunCatcher™ power system by Stirling Energy Systems.  The company is currently working on the 2.1-megawatt University of Maryland Eastern Shore solar project, Tessera Solar’s Western Ranch project in western Texas, and the Calico-Solar One project in San Bernardino County, Calif.

In the biofuels market, Mortenson has focused its efforts on the “next generation” of biofuels by supporting customers in their research and development efforts, including the design and construction of pilot scale facilities. 

“With 15 years experience in renewable energy project construction, we know wind like nobody else,” said Wacker.  “Our group of about 250 team members is passionate about what they do and are dedicated to meeting the exacting needs of our customers.”

Mortenson’s dedication to renewable energy is built on its leadership within the renewable energy industry.  The company has 275 LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accredited professionals; is a founding sponsor of the U.S. Green Building Council, Mississippi Headwaters Chapter; and is a member of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA).  In addition, Mortenson purchases renewable energy credits (RECs) from clean, emission-free wind farms to power its U.S. offices, which corresponds to 100 percent electricity usage for its national headquarters in Minneapolis and all six regional offices around the country.

“From the quality of our work to the passion of our team members for renewable energy,” Wacker added, “it’s no wonder that 80 percent of our work comes from repeat customers.”