Wind Farms

Renewable energy seems to be the wave of the future More and more andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t wind-farmandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt wind farmandamp lt aandamp gt s are popping up across the state Now there could be two more on the way The PSC says FPL Energy is interested is proposing a one-thousand megawatt farm northwest of andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t mandan-ndandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Mandanandamp lt aandamp gt in Oliver and Morton Counties Which would bring 667 turbinescovering up to 250 square miles andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t minnesotaandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Minnesotaandamp lt aandamp gt Power is interested in the second project It would be a 125 megawatt farm on mined and reclaimed land near Center But a big issueis moving the energy we make Susan Wefald ND andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t public-service-commissionandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Public Service Commissionandamp lt aandamp gt er andamp quot The thousand mega watt really depends upon addtional transmission that would be built into the area On all of these projects any wind project around the state interconnection with the existing transmission system is very important because it ensures that we would have good reliable transmission and electircity system in the future And you can t just add a whole bunch of new energy generation and not increase your transmission capacity as well andamp quot Wefald says wind farms offer both opportunities and challenges She says living among andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t wind-turbineandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt wind turbineandamp lt aandamp gt s is much different than living on the prairie But it also means more money to landowners Cole Gustafson Biofuels Specialist andamp quot We have heard numbers from 2 3 4 5 thousand dollars depending on where the opportunity is How large of turbine is put up And again what the wind potental is on their sight Construction for the 125-megawatt farm could start in 2009 And construction for the 1-thousand megawatt farm could start in 2010