Local Video
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| 11-turbine wind farm could come to Greenvale |
By: DAVID HENKE, Staff Writer
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Posted: Wednesday, July 29, 2009 5:10 pm
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The St. Olaf and Carleton College wind turbines could be getting a lot of company in the near future.
On Thursday, the two companies, Medin Renewable Energy and Sparks Energy, which have applied to for a permit to build an 11-turbine, 10.84 megawatt wind farm in Greenvale Township, will learn if the application process can move forward.
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will hear the request for the proposed wind farm, to be located six miles north of Northfield.
Construction on the 837-acre, $22.1 million project could begin as soon as this fall, if the site permit for the proposed wind farm is approved. According to the preliminary permit application, construction on the facilities could been complete by March, 2010.
The farm would consist of 11 N1000 Nordic Turbines, according to the permit, which would be built on agriculture land throughout the township. Six of the proposed turbines would be located in a corridor roughly parallel to 290 St. West in the township, while the other five would be positioned south of 280 St. West, on either side of Garrett Avenue.
Each of the two-bladed turbines, roughly 230 ft. in height, would generate an average yearly energy production of 2,780,573 kilowatt-hours. The total projected energy produced by the wind farm would equal 30,586,303 kilowatt-hours yearly, according to the permit, all of which would be sold to Great River Energy under a one-year contract.
Before construction on the wind farm can begin, the commission must approve a preliminary application, a draft permit and a final permit for the project, and the applicants must hold a public hearing, said Minnesota Public Utilities Commission Project Manager Suzanne Steinhauer.
Steinhauer said the public will also have two opportunities to provide feedback during the project review process, which could take up to 180 days.
To view the permit Medin Renewable Energy and Sparks Energy submitted to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, click here.
— David Henke covers city, business and youth issues. He can be reached at dhenke@northfieldnews.com or 645-1100.
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