ALLIANT, MIDAMERICAN BUILD BIG WIND IN IOWA

Big doin's in Big Wind, and more to come at the American Wind Energy Association's WINDPOWER 2007 conference and exhibition, June 3-6 in Los Angeles.

Alliant plans to build big wind farm
May 14, 2007 (AP via High Plains Midwest Ag Journal)
Get busy with wind and put your state's map in this space!
WHO
Alliant Energy, MidAmerican Energy, Clipper Windpower Inc.

WHAT
Alliant will develop 200 megawatts of wind energy in Iowa, the state’s biggest wind farm; MidAmerican will develop 540 megawatts there.

WHEN
Both projects were announced in April. The Alliant project will begin construction in early 2009 and complete later in the year.

WHERE
Alliant, through Clipper Windpower Inc., is based in Cedar Rapids-based and MidAmerican is in Des Moines. Alliant’s new wind farm is in southern Audubon and Guthrie counties near Adair.

WHY
950 turbines now generate 936 megawatts of electricity in Iowa, 5% of the states power.

Alliant’s megawatts come via a wind farm purchase from Clipper Windpower Inc. The turbines will be Clipper's Liberty-series 2.5 megawatt wind turbine generators, the largest built in the US.
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QUOTES
From If Not Wind:
Traditional energy generation poses increasing environmental, supply and economic challenges. Wind energy is a clean, cost-effective option from an abundant, domestic resource. Like all electricity sources, wind energy has some impacts, but adding more wind to our traditional fuel mix is important to striking a healthy energy balance. Our society, even with increased energy efficiency, demands a steadily growing amount of electricity. We must consider how that power is made: if not wind, then what?