More wind energy coming to western Iowa

Grand Island, Hastings, Kearney, DesMoines, and the rest of Nebraska and Iowa

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icejammer
County Board
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Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2004 11:39 am
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More wind energy coming to western Iowa

Post by icejammer »

More great news on the renewable energy front...

Board discusses wind energy
The Cass County Supervisors learned about a wind energy project proposed for Cass and Adair counties from Ken Hach, a Buena Vista County Supervisor and representative of Invenergy. LLC, on Wednesday.

Hach explained that Invenergy, the largest independently owned wind development corporation in the U.S., was interested in putting some wind turbines in the north east corner of Cass County. He said the company was already planning to put in 500 turbines this year. . .

Hach said he didn’t know for sure how many turbines would be located in Cass County, but he said depending on landowner interest, about 166 turbines could be located in the identified area. . .

Hach said while they “could get here in 2008, “ he thought with all the easements and paperwork required, it was more likely early 2009.
"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

--William Jennings Bryan
icejammer
County Board
Posts: 3571
Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2004 11:39 am
Location: Council Bluffs

Post by icejammer »

Turbines proposed in southwest Iowa counties
. . . Invenergy LLC, a Chicago-based energy investment company, has met with Cass and Adair county landowners and is in the process of negotiating agreements to utilize their land to house approximately 333 wind turbines. . . .

He said turbine construction would employ 200 to 250 people and a trained maintenance staff of 25 to 30 would be employed once the turbines became operational. . . .

Hach said Iowa is third nationally in wind energy usage behind Texas and California and No. 1 in per capita use. . . .

Sowers said communities that support wind farms are typically rural agricultural towns in the Midwest and the Great Plains. The wind turbines are typically built on farmland some distance from the town. But it isn't just the farmers who welcome the turbines. The entire town does, Sowers said.

"They don't necessarily care about green energy; they care about the local economy," he said.

Farmers with more income spend more of that income in the town. Tax revenue generated by the turbines goes to local schools and local road projects, for example. . . .
"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

--William Jennings Bryan
icejammer
County Board
Posts: 3571
Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2004 11:39 am
Location: Council Bluffs

Post by icejammer »

MidAmerican plan sparks roadwork
Some massive roadwork has begun in order to accommodate 76 wind turbines that MidAmerican Energy will be moving into Cass, Adair and Audubon counties.

Most of the roads being updated can now hold up to 20 tons; however, trucks carrying the turbine parts will weigh closer to 180 tons - around 360,000 pounds. The crane that assembles the turbines will need a 33-foot-wide pathway to move from site to site, and the roads now are only around 24 feet.

MidAmerican is paying for the upgrades and, according to Charles Marker, Cass County Engineer, helping out the local economy.

"They are buying concrete and material from local stores," Marker said. "They are hiring local contractors to do the work." . . .

Invenergy will be starting construction on a 500-megawatt wind farm called the "Windy Hills" project in 2010. They have more than 40,000 acres of land under easement in Cass and Adair counties.

Invenergy will pay a minimum lease of $5,000 per turbine for the first year, compounded by a 2 percent increase each year, with a $2,000 construction bonus. MidAmerican Energy has a similar contract.
"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

--William Jennings Bryan
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