How powerful is wind?
If you live in South Dakota or Minnesota, you already know the answer. Our Midwestern winds are strong and steady, making wind power a no-brainer for the region. And there’s enough to go around for a very long time.
- Enough wind energy is produced in the U.S. to power 1.6 million homes.
- Enough potential U.S. wind energy exists between now and 2020 to power 25 million homes.
- Wind projects generate between 17 and 39 times as much power as they consume.
How does wind power work?
Using wind turbines, we can harness wind power very similar to how we capture energy from flowing water and convert it to electricity. As the air flows past the rotor of the wind turbine, the rotor spins and drives the shaft of an electric generator. That generator is then hooked up to transmission lines that send power to nearby communities. The size of the turbine blades and wind speed determine the amount of electricity produced.
Wind power in South Dakota and Minnesota
Thousands of Touchstone Energy homes are currently powered by large wind turbines. Seven wind generation sites throughout the region have the capacity to create 136 megawatts of renewable power (just one megawatt can power 1000 homes for one hour).
Day County Wind Project
In April 2010, the 99-megawatt Day County Wind Project was energized east of Groton, SD. The site houses 66 1.5-megawatt turbines.
Crow Lake Wind Project
Energized in early 2011, the Crow Lake Wind Project will be the largest cooperative-owned wind project in the U.S. with a generating capacity of 151.5 megawatts. The project consists of 101 turbines owned and operated by a subsidiary of Basin Electric, PrairieWings SD 1, Inc. Mitchell Technical Institute has purchased one turbine for use in its wind turbine technology program; another seven are owned by South Dakota Wind Partners.
Chamberlain Wind Farm
The first two utility-sized wind turbines in the Dakotas were erected by your Touchstone Energy Cooperatives. Overlooking a hill on the Missouri River, these turbines are located northeast of Chamberlain, SD and have a combined output of 2.6 megawatts.
South Dakota Wind Energy Center
The South Dakota Wind Energy Center is located ten miles south of Highmore. With 27 wind turbines, the farm was built in October 2003 and generates 40 megawatts for electric cooperatives in the region.
Other Wind Power Sites
Smaller, privately owned wind farms power our region in addition to commercial sites. These smaller farms sell electricity to your local Touchstone Energy Cooperatives:
- Rosebud Sioux Reservation. This 750-kilowatt turbine was built near the Nebraska state line in May 2003 and is the first utility-scale turbine to be owned and operated by a Native American tribe.
- Pipestone-Jasper School District. In southwest Minnesota, this 750-kilowatt wind turbine was built at the Pipestone High School in 2003.
- Oak Lane Colony. Near Alexandria, SD, the colony owns two wind turbines that produce 160 kilowatts.
