Blowing in the Wind Midwest Wind Farm Adds Power to Available
Energy Resources In 2003, the wind that blows across the Midwest
Plains is being put to practical use for residents. Some say
that wind power is the wave of the future, but in the Midwest,
where wind farms are popping up in droves, the future is now.
More than ever, with hundreds of megawatts built and hundreds of
megawatts more planned, wind power has been tapped to generate
electricity to help replace fossil and nuclear fuels and provide
customers with the option of using "green power." Although wind
power is not a new concept, the viability of selling the
electricity produced from these turbines has improved in recent
years due to technological advancements, as well as government
mandates and incentives. One wind power project located in
southeastern Minnesota, about 20 mi. west of Rochester, has gone
through the required development hurdles and is now producing
and delivering its green power to the utility grid. The utility
interconnection and