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.
Tradewind planning wind farm
FAIRMONT – A quartet of representatives from Tradewind Energy recently visited the Fairmont Exchange Club to share information about the Fourmile Wind Project proposed for Jackson and Martin counties. Over the past several months, Tradewind agents have met with more than a dozen residential, civic and governmental groups to explain the wind farm project, which would generate $1.5 million annually in landowner lease payments and $1.2 million annual in taxes, mostly in Martin County. “We have a pretty strong track record,” . . . Complete story »
County Board stiffens wind turbine ordinance
Months of protests and arguments on the wind power project proposed for the Goodhue and Belle Creek area climaxed in a six-and-a-half-plus hour meeting of the Goodhue County Board in Red Wing on October 5. The meeting in the Old Courtroom at the County offices included two public hearings, which together lasted four hours. A stream of residents came forward to air their three-minute comments, some speaking up to four times, even though the County Board has no authority over . . . Complete story »
EDF updates Faribault County Board
Jake Salisbury and P.J. Saliterman of EDF Renewable Energy updated the Faribault County Board of Commissioners on the Oza Tanka Wind Project at last Tuesday’s board meeting. In discussing the economic benefits of the wind turbine project, Salisbury informed the board of the $800,000 annual production tax that the project will distribute each year to Faribault County. Of that sum, 20 percent will go to the townships that host the wind turbine sites. According to Salisbury, an average of $10 . . . Complete story »
Future uncertain for south-central Minnesota wind energy projects
The future of two wind projects in south-central Minnesota is uncertain as opposition from area residents grows. Wind Locked is a group made up of farmers who oppose having a wind turbine on their land. The group has more than 80 members in Faribault County who don’t want turbines taking up productive farmland and are concerned about noise from the machines. A Freeborn County wind farm is also facing opposition. Some farmers support the wind farms because they can earn . . . Complete story »
Wind projects bring opposition, opportunity to south-central Minnesota
Just south of Interstate 90 near Blue Earth, the blades of a huge wind turbine spin in a rhythmic churn. It’s part of a wind farm that’s generating electricity for the power grid, and money for the people who own the land it sits on. “It’s good economic development for the farmer that wants to have a tower on his land,” said Fairbault County Commissioner Tom Warmka, “and maximize his income from every acre.” Standing beneath the big machine, Warmka . . . Complete story »
Area residents ask for local hiring, fix for internet issues from Nobles 2 Wind project
Eric Joens, a Bloom Township resident, cautioned that other wind farm projects have created dead zones — where cell service drops — north of Reading. He said wind turbines have disrupted the service from Lismore Cooperative Telephone Co.’s wireless broadband connection on the Wilmont water tower. “Being on the east side of that water tower and the east side of the potential wind farm, we could lose our connectivity to broadband,” Joens said, asking that Tenaska add a repeater tower east of Wilmont to help fix the connectivity problem. Nobles County resident Lisa Onken backed Joens up, adding that her home office connection could be disrupted by the project and that she doesn’t want the efforts of state and local officials to expand broadband to rural Nobles County residents to go to waste. Complete story »
State regulators put Bent Tree wind farm near Albert Lea on notice
After two problematic noise-monitoring reports, Minnesota utilities regulators have taken the rare step of ordering a utility to justify why it should still have a permit to operate its wind farm. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on Thursday ordered owner Wisconsin Power and Light to “show cause” why its permit for the Bent Tree wind farm northwest of Albert Lea, Minn., shouldn’t be suspended or revoked. It’s the first time the PUC has issued such a “show cause” order . . . Complete story »
MN wind turbines shut down over safety concerns from ice
Wind turbines at a Freeborn County wind farm were shut down this week, due to safety concerns. A longtime American Experiment source got wind of an incident on Thursday involving a livestock truck that was struck by “ice throw” that may have come from a wind turbine at Bent Tree Wind Farm. I got a call that a semi-truck had been damaged by ice throw from a wind turbine on Highway 13, south of Hartland. Law enforcement was on the scene. . . . Complete story »
Falling ice from wind turbine worries family near proposed project
Days after several Freeborn County wind turbines had to be shut down after a chunk of ice fell off a blade and landed on a passing semi truck, a family whose home lies within feet of the proposed Freeborn Wind Farm project said they’re concerned about something similar happening at their home. Jacob Schumacher and his family, including kids Josey and James, moved to their home in rural Freeborn County in October 2015. They knew there were some plans regarding . . . Complete story »
Turbines temporarily shut down after ice reportedly strikes semi
Alliant Energy shut down some of its turbines in Bent Tree Wind Farm after a report that ice from a turbine struck a semi Thursday on Minnesota Highway 13. The turbines were described by Alliant Energy Spokesman Justin Foss as “select turbines” near Highway 13. The turbines are expected to be inspected this morning as an investigation takes place. Foss, who said such incidents are not common, noted part of the reason why the turbines were temporarily shut down was . . . Complete story »
