HO HUM, 3 MORE WIND FARMS, 500+ MEGAWATTS

Meridian Way Wind Farm, Pioneer Prairie Wind Farm and Rattlesnake Road Wind Farm Fully Operational
January 8, 2009 (PR Newswire)

“Horizon Wind Energy, owned by EDP Renovaveis, the fourth largest wind energy producer in the world, fully commissioned over 500 megawatts (MW) in December of 2008. The 201 MW Meridian Way Wind Farm, located in north central Kansas in Cloud County, the 102.9 megawatt (MW) Rattlesnake Road Wind Farm located near the city of Arlington in Gilliam County, Oregon, and the first phase (201.3 MW) of the Pioneer Prairie Wind Farm, located in Iowa along the Minnesota state line in Howard and Mitchell counties, are now fully operational..."

click to enlarge

“...Kansas ranks number 12 in wind power in the United States with less than 400 MWs installed, but will climb in rank this year to nearly 1000 MW of total installed capacity…In 2007 Kansas signed the Midwestern Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord, committing to a region-wide 10% renewable energy standard by 2015. In January 2007, Governor Sebelius said that Kansas' energy goal should be to obtain 10% of the energy consumed in the state from wind by the year 2010 and 20% by 2020.

“Iowa has long been a leader in renewable energy…In 2001, Iowa established a voluntary goal of 1,000MW of wind generating capacity by 2010. As of third quarter 2008, the American Wind Energy Association ranked Iowa number three in wind power in the United States with over 1300 MWs of existing projects installed, and is ranked tenth in terms of potential capacity.

“…As of third quarter 2008, the American Wind Energy Association ranked Oregon number seven in wind power in the United States with more than 900 megawatts installed and a potential capacity of several thousand megawatts. Oregon enacted an aggressive RPS in June 2007 requiring large utilities to ensure the following percentages of electricity sold to retail customers in-state be derived from renewable energy sources: 5% by 2011; 15% by 2015; 20% by 2020; 25% by 2025.