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A huge crane helped to install Minnkota Power Cooperative's 25-ton wind turbine and 230-foot-tall tower.

Minnkota turbine a first for 'Saudi Arabia of wind'

On Jan. 25, the state of North Dakota and Minnkota Power Cooperative took a big step toward living up to the label of "the Saudi Arabia of Wind Energy"--and toward spurring economic development.

More than 300 people gathered for the commissioning of the state's first commercial-scale, utility-owned wind turbine. Located six miles east of Valley City in southeastern North Dakota, the 900-kilowatt wind turbine should produce 2.5 million kilowatthours of energy each year. That's enough to power 200 to 300 homes.

Speaking at the dedication, North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan said, "We have the potential--right here in North Dakota--to lead this nation in wind production. The wind experts call North Dakota the Saudi Arabia of wind power, and Minnkota Power Cooperative is taking the first important step in our state."

Minnkota launched its Infinity Wind Energy program in response to requests from customers. The project received strong support to get it off the ground, with about 2,100 customers of Minnkota-associated cooperatives and municipal utilities subscribing to the program. Minnkota owns, operates, and maintains the turbine for its member cooperatives and members of the Northern Municipal Power Agency, which represents 12 municipal utilities in North Dakota and Minnesota.

Subscribers agree to pay an extra $3 per month for each 100-kWh block of wind energy they buy. The premium covers the higher cost of wind energy when compared to conventional power sources. Minnkota will also receive state production incentives that help lower the cost of wind power.

The turbine will operate when the wind speed is between eight and 56 miles per hour. Wind speeds below that range aren't sufficient to generate electricity, while speeds above the range could damage the turbine's blades. Minnkota estimates that the turbine will generate electricity an average 30 percent of the time.

The turbine sits atop a 230-foot tower and weighs 25 tons. Each blade measures 85 feet long and weighs 5 tons. Wanzek Construction of Fargo, N.D., used a huge crane to erect the structure. And it wasn't the only North Dakota company to benefit from the $1 million project.

LM Glasfiber of Grand Forks fabricated the turbine blades. Besides fabricating blades for Minnkota's project, the plant also provided blades for Moorhead, Minn., Public Utilities' Capture the Wind program, and other wind-energy projects from New York to California.

DMI Industries of Fargo built the tower. DMI used to manufacture farm implements for the sugar beet industry, but switched to wind-turbine towers. The company employs about 110 people.

North Dakota's agricultural community could also benefit from future wind-energy development. Farmers who allow wind turbines on their land can receive lease payments of about $2,000 annually. The Des Moines Register reported that one farmer near Storm Lake, Iowa, hosts 16 turbines on 15 acres of his farm, earning about 10 times more from the leases than he would have earned growing corn.

Why is North Dakota such a promising site for wind-energy generation? According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the state has enough wind resources to produce 1.2 billion kilowatthours of electricity annually. The entire state is a Class-3 wind resource, meaning the wind blows across North Dakota an average of 14 to 15 miles per hour. Parts of the state have Class-5 winds (16-18 miles per hour). These sustained wind speeds provide North Dakota with the most potential for wind-energy development in the United States.