THE GOLDEN RULE OF NEW ENERGY (MINNESOTA VERSION)

Mower County in Minnesota has great wind. So do a lot of counties in Minnesota. Mower County has 259 wind turbines permitted for construction. Not all counties do.

The difference?

James Hartson, would-be developer of Green Acres Wind Farm, a farmers’ cooperative in a state with a century-old tradition of farmers coops, told the local planners its because they favor the big developers who have the money and other resources to push permits through.

Hartson: “…I’m getting sick of this…The big guys come in and jockey the little guys out of the way…”

Mower County planners don’t debate Hartson’s point about the developers’ resources.

Margaret Kirchner, member, Mower County Planning Commission: “Bigger companies seem to be able to move faster with their requests than others.”

But the question is why do the big companies use their resources to move their requests there, in Mower County.

The answer: The Great River Energy transmission lines. With Great River Energy's transmission infrastructure, the big companies are assured the wind energy-generated electricity can be delivered to high-demand centers in nearby cities.

Golden Rule of New Energy: Where there is transmission, New Energy will be developed.

Corollary to the Golden Rule: Where there is transmission, there will be a race to get on the line.

Afterword on the Corollary to the Golden Rule: Where there are good New Energy assets and transmission, competition will be intense.

Permit holders to develop wind projects in Mower County include some of the biggest names in the wind industry. (Ex: Florida Power and Light - 43 permits; Horizon Wind -60 permits; EnXco - 70 permits)

Minnesota has wind in the southeast - but just wait 'til they start building wind on Lake Superior. (click to enlarge)

Meeting heats up over wind energy
Lee Bonorden, September 1, 2008 (Austin Daily Herald)

WHO
Renewable Energy Systems Americas, Inc. (RES) (Jeff Broberg and David Savage, spokesmen); Mower County Planning Commission; James Hartson, developer, Green Acres Wind Farm; Eugene Anderson, chairman, Waltham Township board;

WHAT
4 RES conditional use permit requests for meteorological towers were endorsed by the Mower County Planning Commission despite Hartson’s objections.

Mower County has wind BECAUSE it has transmission. (click to enlarge)

WHEN
- This summer: RES had 5 wind projects with a total capacity of 954 megawatts approved for development in Canada.
- August 27: The confrontation between Hartson and the Planning Commission over the RES permits became heated.
- 2 years: The meteorological towers will assess wind data before a decision to build the turbines would be made.

WHERE
- Hartson’s Green Acres Wind Farm is planned for Mower County.
- The RES projects would also be in Mower County, adjacent to and near Hartson’s project.

WHY
- The RES proposed projects would total 60 turbines.
- Green Acres Wind Farm would be Minnesota’s only community-based (farmer-owned cooperative) wind project in a state with a century-old tradition of farmers’ coops.
- Anderson, backing Hartson and the Green Acres objections to the RES permits raised questions over why the Planning and Zoning staff failed to post signs at the sites of wind energy projects and accurately schedule site visits to proposed meteorological tower locations.
- Hartson raised questions about setbacks on the meteorological towers.
- RES has partnered with local landowners on the projects the meteorological towers would provide information on developing.
- After debate, the commission unanimously recommended approval of RES’s meteorological tower permits.
- No opposition was raised except by Hartson and Anderson.

Great River Energy is building transmission AND wind. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
- Eugene Anderson, chairman, Waltham Township board: “There were no signs posted on the site and the investigating committee visited the Gillette site first and then the Gebhardt. That’s not what the letter to the township board said would be the times of the visits… your letter said you would visit the Gebhardt property first and then the Gillette property, and we were there when your letter said we should be…You made a change to your letter and the schedule. You should have let us know…”
- James Hartson, developer, Green Acres Wind Farm: “My property is located right next door (to the Gillette property), and I have a wind energy project of my own …These people are owned by the British, and you’ve got the cart before the horse on this matter. You’re going to okay their request…”