Wind farm in Iowa to be world's largest
By David Pitt
Associated Press
DES MOINES, Iowa — A massive complex of 180 to 200 wind turbines will be built across 200 acres of northern Iowa farm fields, MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co. announced yesterday.
Bloomberg News Service
It will be "the largest wind facility to be constructed in the world," said company president Greg Abel.
Within two decades, technology has produced turbines that are 15 times more efficient, making wind power more cost-effective for generating electricity.
The wind farm will generate 310 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 85,000 homes, Abel said.
Each wind turbine is expected to produce about 1.5 to 1.65 megawatts of power.
The largest wind facility to date, located in Washington state and Oregon, produces 300 megawatts of electricity, Abel said.
The $323 million project announced yesterday will place Iowa third in the nation for wind energy production, behind California and Texas.
Gov. Tom Vilsack said the projects fits with his goal for the state to increase renewable energy sources, create jobs and help farmers.
Farmers in northwestern and north-central Iowa will be paid about $4,000 a year for each turbine they allow to be placed on their land, Abel said.
New technology has made turbines 15 times more efficient than those produced in the 1980s, according to Abel, who said such advances have made wind energy more cost-effective.
Plans call for the first turbines to be operational by the end of 2004 and the project to be completed by 2006.
