Wind Power News: Minnesota
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These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted.
Minnesota Power's power line adds wind capacity
Minnesota Power on Tuesday announced plans to acquire a direct-current transmission line for about $80 million and use it to transport additional wind-generated electricity from North Dakota to its Northland customers.
The line belongs to Square Butte Electric Cooperative, and Minnesota Power aims to complete its purchase in 2009.
The direct-current line currently transports electricity from the coal-fired Milton R. Young Generating Station in Center, N.D., to Minnesota Power’s distribution network, 465 miles east. But Minnesota Power …
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Suzlon fined for alleged air quality violations
ST. PAUL — Suzlon Rotor Corp., a manufacturer of wind turbine blades in Pipestone, has paid a $19,000 penalty to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) for alleged violations of air quality regulations. According to the MPCA, the company failed to obtain an air quality permit prior to construction and operation of the facility.
With the potential to emit 27 tons per year of hazardous air pollutants, 17 tons of which could be xylene, the company …
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Gone with the wind turbines? Schools want to recapture missing funds
Some southern Minnesota school districts that lie in the state’s fertile wind corridor were caught off-guard last year, when the Legislature passed a technical amendment — without a public hearing — that sent substantial revenues from the giant wind turbines blowin’ in the wind away from educators.
And they’re now hoping to rope it back in.
An earlier law, intended to entice wind turbine companies to build in Minnesota, had promised some proceeds from a wind-generation tax …
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Schools upset over loss of wind money
On the heels of hefty budget cuts, Grand Meadow Public Schools is now faced with losing thousands of dollars in revenue from wind turbines.
Superintendent Joe Brown said his district expected to get $50,000 in extra revenue next year thanks to a tax on area wind farms. But a change to state law last year means schools would no longer benefit from the wind energy production tax. Meanwhile, efforts by area lawmakers this session to restore …
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Commission considers turbine policy
The City of Fergus Falls is well on its way to adopting a policy regarding the installation of commercial and private wind turbines.
Wind Energy Conservation Systems (WECS) were the order of business at Monday’s Planning Commission meeting, where members approved an ordinance that may see a first reading by the city council as early as Monday.
Fergus Falls currently has a temporary moratorium on wind turbines. The six-month ordinance was passed by the council in late …
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WPL buys huge wind farm; Unbuilt project would span 32,000 acres in southern Minnesota
Wisconsin Power & Light Co. plans to build a 200-megawatt wind farm in southern Minnesota by the end of 2010, the Madison-based utility said Tuesday.
he company said it signed a letter of intent to buy a wind farm that spans more than 32,000 acres in Freeborn County, Minn., from Wind Capital Group LLC, a wind energy development firm based in Missouri.
At 200 megawatts, the Bent Tree Wind Farm could generate enough electricity to power up …
Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux to build wind turbine near Mystic Lake
In a move that could power 75 percent of the homes in the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC), that group’s governing body has announced plans to build a two-megawatt wind turbine less than one-half mile from Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake.
The planned turbine project will cost an estimated $4 million to install. That cost assumes the $2 million-per megawatt costs of electricity-generating wind turbines cited by wind energy developers.
Bill Rudnicki, SMSC tribal administrator, …
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Windy Kenyon gets attention
Another company has shown interest in harvesting wind from southwestern Goodhue County.
Officials from Clear Wind met with Kenyon area residents in March to discuss the possibility of putting up windmills in part of Kenyon Township.
The Minneapolis company is looking at a number of wind energy projects in Minnesota, South Dakota and Nebraska but “nothing is definitive” in this area, said Heather Wayne, Clear Wind project coordinator.
Goodhue County Commissioner Dan Rechtzigel, who represents the Kenyon …
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Expanding wind energy across Minnesota
While the Buffalo Ridge has served as a shining example of the potential for wind energy, the state of Minnesota wants to see more expansion throughout the state.
Mike Bull, deputy director for the Minnesota Office of Energy Security, said Friday that expansion of community wind projects is essential to the process.
“This topic is critical,” Bull said. “Your area is near ground zero for community wind energy.”
In an effort to explore opportunities for wind energy throughout …
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Windmill fire under investigation
Emergency calls flooded the Jackson County Law Enforcement Center last Wednesday morning as passers-by on Interstate 90 in western Jackson County witnessed huge plumes of smoke ascending to the clouds. The fire originated from one of the six power-generating windmills on the Ewington Township Wind Farm, located south of Okabena just north of I-90.
Personnel from the Jackson County sheriff’s office as well as the fire departments from Okabena and Brewster quickly responded and the flames …
