Dodge, Mower See Boom in Wind Farms

By Heather J. Carlson, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.

Aug. 8–MANTORVILLE — Dodge and Olmsted Counties could soon become home to one of the largest community-owned wind farms in the nation.

High Country Energy is proposing installing up to 200 wind turbines that could generate up to 300 megawatts — enough energy to power 87,000 homes. The proposal comes as more wind farm developers are turning their attentions to Dodge and Mower counties.

“You would be shocked as to how many wind energy proposals are out there,” said Duane Johnson, Dodge County’s planning director.

What is fueling the local wind boom? A big factor is the area’s strong wind resources. While Southwestern Minnesota’s Buffalo Ridge area leads when it comes to wind power, Southeastern Minnesota is close behind, said Pat Pelstring, a partner with National Wind LLC, which is helping manage the High Country Energy project.

“You literally can’t find buyable sites in Southwestern Minnesota because of transmission issues and because most of the better sites are already tied up,” Pelstring said.

Also behind the push are new state mandates requiring electricity producers to get a quarter of their power from green sources by 2025. A consortium of regional utilities are also proposing a new 345-kilovolt transmission line through Southeast Minnesota, which would help distribute energy generated by the local wind farms.

So far, Mower County has two wind farms that are up and running — one with about 15 wind turbines near Adams and another with 43 wind turbines north of Taopi, said Daryl Franklin, the county’s environmental services director. Construction has already begun on a third owned by Horizon Wind Energy that could generate 100 megawatts of energy. Four other potential wind farm projects are on the horizon, with three of them winning the county board’s approval to install meteorological towers to monitor wind levels. One of those projects, planned by Community Wind Development Group, would be locally owned.

Dodge County already has a wind farm with more than 40 wind turbines owned by Garwin McNeilus. In addition to the High County Energy Project, a group called Renewable Energy Systems of the Americas is proposing building a 100-megawatt wind farm. The county board is expected to vote on the company’s request to install a meteorological tower in Ashland Township. A third-group has also approached the county about a possible wind farm development.

The High Country Energy Proposal is unique because it would allow local residents to invest in the project. The $500 million proposal is expected to cover 49 square miles in eastern Dodge County and Western Olmsted County. Pelstring said residents would likely have a chance to invest in the project this fall and construction could begin by late 2009.

Resident Dan Hoffman is one of the seven founders of the project. A farm business management instruction with Riverland Community College, Hoffman said the wind farm would give rural residents a chance to benefit from the growth in renewable energy. It also promises to boost the local economy by providing jobs and increasing business at local stores and restaurants.

“It’s not like I’m (from) Wall Street,” Hoffman said. “It’s got to work well for the community and be something we can all be proud of.”

To learn more about local wind power, visit www.postbulletin.com/weblinks.

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