Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has signed a 12-year contract with Southern Power Co. for the 200-MW Reading wind facility in Kansas, which will offset roughly 12% of the cruise vacation company's emissions beginning in 2020.

The agreement provides the Southern Co. subsidiary with the economic basis to build the project, located in Osage and Lyon counties, Kan., according to an Oct. 11 news release. Reading is the first to be validated as a carbon offset project under the Verified Carbon Standard.

Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc. initiated the development of the wind facility and will lead the construction alongside Southern Power, which will operate and maintain the project upon its completion.

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy will supply 62 wind turbines for the project. Construction on the wind facility is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2019 with expected completion by the second quarter of 2020.