BUENOS AIRES – The government is working with the private sector to develop wind energy projects in Argentina under a plan that could create 10,000 jobs and produce 1,000 MW of electricity within eight years, the Industry Ministry said.

Wind farm developers, other companies involved in the sector and financial institutions have been asked to work on the development of the plan, the ministry said in a statement.

The wind energy industry has announced plans in recent months to invest $335 million in projects in Argentina, the ministry said.

The Industrial Projects and Capital Goods Engineering Association has created the “Argentine wind cluster,” which brings together companies dedicated to developing wind energy projects, the ministry said.

The companies involved in the project expect to substitute imports valued at $1.75 billion annually, developing 500 domestic suppliers for the industry, the ministry said.

“Argentine industry has the capacity to supply between 70 percent and 80 percent of the necessary inputs demanded by the domestic market,” Sica Metalurgica Argentina executive Jorge Simonutti said.