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 do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are reproduced here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
‘We’ll keep fighting’: Freeborn County landowners call on state to stop wind project
After a two-year fight, a new wind farm has finally been given the green light in southern Minnesota. But in Freeborn County, hundreds of neighbors are making some noise about it. For more than 20 years, the view hasn’t changed for the Hansen family southeast of Albert Lea in Glenville. They’ve spent the last two years doing whatever they can to keep it that way. “There are people who buy lake-front property because they want the lake lifestyle. There are . . . Complete story »
VA wind turbine was economic failure for St. Cloud
The failed wind turbine next to the St. Cloud VA hospital will finally be dismantled this summer after sitting idle since 2012. Now that the fate of this boondoggle is sealed, let’s look at how the financials penciled out. According to the St. Cloud Times,the turbine cost $2.3 million to build and was operational between April 2011 and August 2012.It hasn’t produced any energy since August 2012. During that time it produced 464,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity. This means . . . Complete story »
St. Cloud VA pulls the plug on its clunker wind turbine
Talk about a bust. A multimillion-dollar wind turbine that was projected to generate electricity for the St. Cloud VA health campus is scheduled to be demolished in July after being plagued by problems ever since its blades first turned eight years ago. “We had 215 acres of land in a handy spot to put a wind turbine and satisfactory winds,” said Barry Venable, a spokesman for the St. Cloud VA Health Care System. But, he added, “It spun sporadically for . . . Complete story »
St. Cloud VA wind turbine to be demolished in July
ST. CLOUD – The wind turbine on the St. Cloud VA campus will be coming down later this summer. VA Spokesman Barry Venable says demolition will take place July 15th through the 24th and cost over $326,000 to remove. Last year, the St. Cloud VA commissioned a study to look at whether the turbine could be repaired or destroyed. In the end, the cost of trying to fix the turbine outweighed its potential energy savings. Venable says they hired a contractor . . . Complete story »
Judge recommends westernmost route for Xcel power line project
MANKATO – An administrative law judge has recommended Xcel Energy build a proposed power line project to the west of Greater Mankato along existing power lines through Minneopa State Park. Judge Barbara Case wrapped up a report to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission Wednesday concerning the project, which would connect Xcel’s Wilmarth substation northeast of Mankato to the ITC Midwest-owned Huntley Substation near Blue Earth. The 345-kilowatt line would run about 50 miles and would help move power from wind energy . . . Complete story »
New developer will take on Minnesota wind-farm project after hiring flap
A wind farm proposed for western Minnesota will move ahead with a new owner and developer after Minnesota utility regulators took issue with the hiring practices of the former developer. The Bitter Root wind farm near Canby was proposed in 2017 by RES, a British renewable-energy developer. But the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) – in an uncommon move – held up the project in December after complaints by Minnesota labor unions. Nonunion RES initially challenged the PUC’s decision, but instead agreed . . . Complete story »
New guide helps farmers with solar, wind energy installations
ST. PAUL – A guide to help Minnesota farmers navigate through legal contracts and other issues stalling large-scale solar and wind installations is now available. The “Farmers’ Guide to Solar and Wind Energy in Minnesota” was developed by the Minnesota Farmers Union and the St. Paul-based Farmers’ Legal Action Group as a resource for farmers considering solar and wind installations on their land. “Solar and wind energy can be great value additions to some family farms, especially in a time of . . . Complete story »
Energy firms, led by Enbridge, spent big money in 2018 lobbying efforts in Minnesota
As is typically the case in election years, 2018 was a big year for lobbying efforts in Minnesota, with advocacy groups, nonprofits and companies spending big to promote their interests amid hotly contested Congressional midterms, legislative races and a gubernatorial election that gave Minnesota a new governor. Minnesota’s 25 biggest spenders on lobbying collectively spent $24.6 million on efforts to influence public policy at the local, regional and state level last year, a net increase of $3 million or 13.9 . . . Complete story »
Wind farms will destroy values
I am a bit staggered by willful and intentional destruction of a neighbor’s property that several folks in our community have initiated. When a person signs for industrial wind turbines on their property, they are destroying the value of their neighbor’s home property within the surrounding two-plus miles. Home values drop 20% to 60%-plus for those within those two miles. By now, this is well documented and well known. Signing leases now is an intentional choice to destroy a neighbor’s . . . Complete story »
Wind farm agreement approved
After tabling the vote at its previous meeting, the Freeborn County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted to approve the three-part agreement with Freeborn Wind Energy LLC for development, road use and drainage system protection for the Freeborn Wind Farm. With the agreement in place and the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission upholding the project’s site permit on Monday, construction is expected to begin on the wind farm in July. The project in Freeborn County includes 42 wind turbines in Hayward, . . . Complete story »
