IRON MINERS LIKE WIND
Local view: Renewable energy helps mining
Eric Blashford, February 18, 2016 Duluth News Tribune
“…[T]he Iron Range is not a hotbed for wind-energy development in Minnesota. But that doesn’t mean the region shouldn’t support additional development…Most of today’s modern turbines use rolled steel towers. In 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey reported that an average of nearly 127 tons of steel was required per megawatt of installed wind capacity. There are [almost 75,000] megawatts of wind-energy installations…This development is going to create more demand for steel, and [the Iron Range’s] taconite industry stands to benefit…Iron ore mines in Northeastern Minnesota support thousands of jobs and contribute millions of dollars in local and state economic development, just as the wind industry does…As the Iron Range faces difficult economic times, we see wind energy as a piece of the solution, driving new demand for taconite. These two industries are interdependent and together can help reduce the cost of renewable energy as more and more domestically produced content is used…” click here for more
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