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 shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Dodge County wind farm weighing grid options
ST. PAUL – NextEra Energy has scrapped its plan to connect a proposed wind farm in the southeastern Minnesota counties of Dodge and Steele to the electric grid. In its initial request for a route permit, the company put forward a plan to connect the farm to an electrical substation in Byron, by way of a 21-to-26-mile transmission line. But citing cost concerns, the company later requested that its application for the permit – one of three needed to build the project – . . . Complete story »
Groups dispute cost of renewable energies
ST. CLOUD – What does it cost to switch to renewable energy sources, like wind and solar power? Isaac Orr, a policy fellow with the Center of the American Experment, looked into the numbers and drafted an analysis far different than projections by Xcel Energy and contested by a clean energy advocate. The Center of the American Experiment is a Minnesota think tank focused on free markets and limited government. “This is not about climate change. This is about regulating every . . . Complete story »
No spin here: Wind turbine going through refurbishment
The maintenance cost of the turbine is covered by MMPA, according to Knutson. When asked what the price of the maintenance would be, Knutson wrote in an email, “MMPA does not want to provide to this information.” The cost would not be directly billed back to the city, Podhradsky said, adding that it is supported by rates paid by residents in the member communities. Complete story »
Redwood County residents take part in renewable energy dialogue
Eighteen Redwood County residents calling communities from Morgan and Wanda to the Lower Sioux and Redwood Falls their home gathered at the Redwood Area Community Center Sept. 12 to take part in a unique program. The group, hailing from varied walks of life, represented a cross-section of the county, and they were there to take part in a three-day conversation. Known as the rural energy dialogue, these individuals were randomly selected from a pool of applicants to represent Redwood County . . . Complete story »
Minnesota wind-solar hybrid project could be new frontier for renewable energy
PELICAN RAPIDS, MINN. – The wind turbine and small solar array planted in a cornfield near this northwestern Minnesota town look modest. But the hybrid power plant could be a new frontier for renewable energy. By capturing both sun and wind power, it can provide a more stable supply of electricity than either energy source can provide alone. And given its small size, it is relatively easy to hook into the electricity grid. “It delivers low-cost clean energy right to . . . Complete story »
Sioux Falls landfill tightens rules after Minnesota dumps dozens of wind turbine blades
Clarification: An earlier version of this story said the turbine blades received at the Sioux Falls landfill were coming from the Albert Lea, Minn. area. The city of Sioux Falls since clarified by saying they came from two wind farms in Iowa, one being about 60 miles from Albert Lea. Iowa wind-farms brought dozens of their old turbine blades to the Sioux Falls dump this summer. But City Hall says it won’t take anymore unless owners take more steps to . . . Complete story »
Dodge County wind farm project hits the brakes
MANTORVILLE – A proposed 170-megawatt wind farm that would span from Steele to Olmsted counties saw the air go out of its sails, at least for the immediate future. NextEra, developer of The Dodge County Wind project, has suspended its application for a site permit and certificate of need on the project, which would include 70 wind turbines and 23 miles of transmission lines. The company also withdrew its transmission route permit request. An environmental impact statement on the transmission line . . . Complete story »
Clean energy jobs are big in Minnesota. But they often go to people from out of state
The fastest growing jobs in the country are solar panel installers and wind turbine service technicians, a fact that clean energy advocates use as evidence of a growing sector and the economic upside of transitioning away from fossil fuels. But in Minnesota, the rise of clean energy isn’t always resulting in new jobs for Minnesotans – at least when it comes to building wind projects. A report released Thursday by the Minnesota and North Dakota chapter of the Laborers’ International Union . . . Complete story »
VA wind turbine being taken down
The wind turbine at St. Cloud VA started coming down this week after years of sitting idle. Earlier this year the VA decided to take the turbine down after it hadn’t worked for years despite several past attempts to repair it. By the end of the week, the 250-foot tall, 107-ton steel structure should be dismantled. The steel will be recycled. A crane for the deconstruction was put up on Monday and crews took the turbine blades off on Tuesday. . . . Complete story »
City Council discusses relocating wind turbine into Le Sueur
At a meeting Monday, July 8, the Le Sueur City Council discussed potentially relocating a wind turbine off of Hwy. 112 to 950 Kingsway Drive just south of Calvary Cemetery. Unable to decide on the night, the discussion was tabled until the next council meeting on July 22. The motion came after the Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (MMPA) requested the city’s cooperation in refurbishing the wind turbine MPAA had given the city in 2009. MMPA is in the process of . . . Complete story »
