Wind Power News: Minnesota
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 and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
100-megawatt wind farm proposed in Renville County
BIRD ISLAND, Minn. – One of the country’s largest wind power developers is proposing to build a 100-megawatt wind farm in Renville County, which would be the largest wind project in the region. EDP Renewables of Houston, Texas, hosted an open house Wednesday evening, Dec. 5, in Bird Island to explain the project. The company was not obligated to hold the meeting as part of a permitting process. It wanted to provide information to the public because it is aware that . . . Complete story »
Regulators table Canby area wind farm over labor concerns
State utility regulators postponed a vote to approve a western Minnesota wind farm Thursday after construction unions criticized the project’s nonunion builder for primarily hiring out-of-state workers. RES, a major renewable energy developer, last year proposed the Bitter Root wind farm near Canby with 44 wind turbines that could generate up to 152 megawatts of power, a decent-sized project. RES would both develop and build the wind farm. The Laborers’ union, representing several construction unions, asserted that the socio-economic benefits . . . Complete story »
DFL election wins could mean pressure on state’s renewable-energy goals
Wind turbines have created a rural skyline across Minnesota, one the nation’s leading states for wind energy. Solar farms, a rarity in Minnesota just a few years ago, now ring the Twin Cities. Minnesota’s largest electricity providers say they have already met the state’s goal for at least 25 percent renewable energy generation by 2025. Wind power has become particularly cheap – even without a federal-tax subsidy – and several new wind farms will be rolling out in the next couple of . . . Complete story »
After saga, turbines demolished
They were over 220 feet tall with rotor blades measuring almost 94 feet long. For around eight years, two 750-kilowatt wind turbines towered over farmland outside rural Altura. Winona County spent years and tens of thousands of dollars developing the project, but the turbines never functioned properly and later broke down. After a multi-million-dollar court battle, the turbines were demolished, cut up, and hauled away earlier this month. The company behind the project hopes to erect a new turbine at . . . Complete story »
Seller of wind turbines charged in $1 million fraud scheme
The owner of a southern Minnesota wind-power company has been charged with a $1 million fraud, allegedly spending his customers’ money on such personal items as Timberwolves season tickets and a down payment on a lakefront home. Kerry Kisslinger of suburban Houston was CEO of the now-defunct ES Windpower Inc. of Emmons, Minn., which sold wind turbines to farmers, ranchers and others in Minnesota and across the Midwest. From 2012 to 2015, Kisslinger allegedly defrauded customers by taking their money . . . Complete story »
Big problems in wind permitting
I am a day care provider living in the footprint of the proposed Freeborn Wind project. I’ve had day care in my home over 20 years and love my job. I am among the nearly 80 percent signing a petition against the project on the Minnesota side. There has been and still remains problems and rules not followed. There has been admitted lying and trespassing. There has been a lack of decommissioning the plan, the administrative law judge recommendations being . . . Complete story »
Wind farm repowering; 137 wind turbines will come down, 44 will be reconstructed
The owner of a 100.2 megawatt (MW) wind project between Ruthton and Holland plans to remove 137 existing wind turbines and replace them with 44 new, larger turbines that will produce the same amount of electricity. The project, slated to be completed by the end of 2019, is owned by Lake Benton II, LLC, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources. The 137 towers that stand now have been operational since 2000 and the power has been sold to Xcel. Danell . . . Complete story »
Proposed Dodge County wind farm discussed at Minnesota Public Utilities Commission meeting
ROCHESTER, Minn. – The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission made a stop in Rochester to deliberate several items, including the application process of NextEra Energy Resources’ proposed Dodge County Wind wind farm project The commission ruled that their application was complete and ready for reviewal stages. Douglas Eayrs, a member of Dodge County Concerned Citizens, attended the meeting because he has some concerns about the project. “We don’t have wind turbines like this in our county. We have some wind farms, . . . Complete story »
Woodstock News Week of Sept. 24, 2018
The weather continues to be a topic of conversation, with rain, thunderstorms and cooler temps. A casualty of the lightning strikes was a wind tower on Meredith Kellen’s land five miles north of Woodstock. One blade was completely torn off and landed a short way from the tower; another was burned in the shape of a horse shoe, left hanging from the turbine. The third one is still intact. Another inconvenience was noticed on Sunday morning as the wind tower . . . Complete story »
Minnesota utility regulators approve Freeborn County wind farm opposed by neighbors
The Freeborn Wind Farm, one of the most contested wind-energy projects in Minnesota, was approved Thursday by state utility regulators. The wind farm proposed for Freeborn County in southern Minnesota sparked significant opposition from local residents concerned about turbine noise and other issues. A state judge in May recommended that Freeborn Wind should not be granted a permit, saying it failed to show it could meet Minnesota’s noise standards. But after Freeborn Wind’s developer earlier this week proposed “special conditions” . . . Complete story »
