community wind for Meeker and Kandiyohi counties
From the Litchfield Independent Review View a PDF version of the article August 19th, 2010 By Brent Schacherer, Editor
Harnessing the power of the wind takes time, but the payoff is coming.
Officials from Lake Country Wind Energy, the locally owned company that plans to create a wind farm in Meeker and Kandiyohi counties, told interested residents during a meeting Aug. 16 at the Atwater Community Center that their project remains on track. But it is likely to be at least another year before the first wind turbines begin to churn out electricity for the nation’s power grid.
“It’s good to see the community come out and be excited about it,” said Jeremy Duehr, an environmental scientist at Malcolm Pirnie and a consultant on the project. “It’s good to see that support.”
The board of directors of Lake Country Wind Energy scheduled the meeting to update investors and area landowners, as well as other interested citizens, on the project.
Lake Country Wind Energy hosts a successful project update meeting on August 16th, 2010 at the Atwater Community Center. Over 100 community members and project participants gathered to learn more about the recent draft site permit submitted for the development of the project's first 41 MW phase. Over 100 landowners attended, accompanied by Lake Country Wind Energy's founders and board members, field specialist, Jan Donahue, and National Wind developer, Chuck Burdick. Everybody enjoyed a slice of pie from the Atwater Bakery and some 1919 Rootbeer! It was a fun evening for all involved as we continuously celebrate the project's ongoing successes!
From the West Central Tribune August 14th, 2010
ATWATER — The permitting process to install 20 wind turbines in Meeker and Kandiyohi counties is under way, with a community meeting set for 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Atwater Community Center.
The meeting will include information about the site permit for the first phase of Lake Country Wind Energy’s 340-megawatt development that includes installation of 20 turbines that will generate a total of 41 megawatts of renewable energy.
The turbines will be located in Swede Grove and Acton townships in west central Meeker County and in Gennessee, Harrison and Kandiyohi townships in Kandiyohi County.
Once the permitting is completed, the turbines could be constructed late this year or early next year.
The site permit application was submitted Aug. 4 to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.
The meeting Monday will include a project update to answer questions about the permitting process for the initial 20 turbines.
Join us on August 16th at 6:30 pm at the Atwater Community Center for an update on the progress we are making toward the development of our wind project. We recently submitted our site permit application for our first 41 megawatt phase. Come to this meeting to learn what this means for Lake Country Wind Energy. The meeting will include a
Atwater, MN - August 12th, 2010.- Lake Country Wind Energy, LLC recently installed one of the tallest meteorological towers in Minnesota, a 100 meter (328 foot) lattice structure, within Gennessee Township, Kandiyohi County. The National Wind Assessments’ crew constructed the tower to further analyze the wind regime within Lake Country Wind Energy’s project area. This analysis along with data gathered from a 60 meter (197 feet) met tower located in Harrison Township, Kandiyohi County will help the project complete a 2 year wind study this September. The analysis thus far indicates the development area has a very viable wind resource.
Submission of the site permit application is the first step in the regulatory review process. Lake Country Wind Energy submitted the site permit for its first 41 megawatt phase on August 4th, 2010. The project will be permitted through the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) and the Office of Energy Security. The MPUC has 180 days to issue a permit once the application is accepted.
Lake Country Wind Energy, LLC recently installed a 100 meter (328 foot) lattice meteorological (met) tower, the tallest installed in Minnesota, within Section 18 of Gennessee Township, Kandiyohi County. The met tower, installed by National Wind Assessments’ crew, will be utilized to further analyze wind speed and directional data within Lake Country Wind Energy’s project area. Currently, the project has completed a 2 year wind study from data gathered from its 60 meter (197 feet) tower located in Section 35 of Harrison Township.
From the West Central Tribune
Written by Gretchen Schlosser
February, 19, 2010
WILLMAR — Lake Country Wind Energy LLC has almost reached its goal of signing easements on the 30,000 acres of land needed for the community-owned wind energy project in Kandiyohi and Meeker counties.
Lake Country and National Wind, a Minneapolis-based consultant for 13 similar wind energy projects across the country, announced Wednesday that almost 25,000 acres have been signed onto the project. Landowners of more than 13,000 acres signed the necessary agreements with the project in 2009.
Jan Donahue, field specialist on the project, noted that she is continuing to work with landowners, especially in Gennessee Township in eastern Kandiyohi County.
The project footprint includes land in Green Lake, Harrison, Kandiyohi and Gennessee townships in Kandiyohi County and Swede Grove and Anton townships in Meeker County. The area is along U.S. Highway 12 between Willmar and Grove City.
Atwater, MN - February 17th, 2010.- Lake Country Wind Energy, LLC and National Wind announce that nearly 25,000 acres of land have been secured for the project. The acres leased in Meeker and Kandiyohi Counties represent over three-quarters of the land needed to develop the 340 megawatt (MW) community-owned wind farm. The project’s goal is to sign 30,000 acres.
With nearly 25,000 acres signed, Lake Country has made substantial progress since its formation in the summer of 2008. Field Specialist Jan Donahue was especially productive, signing over 13,000 acres in the past year.
Renewable Energy World
January 20, 2010
Hamburg, Germany
REpower Systems AG has received a contract from National Wind LLC to supply 20 MM92 wind turbines. The MM92 type turbines have a rated power of 2.05 MW (megawatts) and a hub height of 100 meters. The turbines will be used in the first phase of the Lake Country Wind Energy project in central Minnesota. All phases of the project will total 340 MW.
These are the first wind turbines that the U.S. subsidiary of REpower will deliver to Minnesota.
"We strongly value our new relationship with REpower and look forward to building upon it," said Jack Levi, co-chair of National Wind. "Securing wind turbines is a significant project milestone for Lake Country Wind Energy. Not only is REpower's turbine technology an ideal fit for the project's wind regime, it also advances Lake Country's first phase toward a late 2010 construction. It is exciting to bring Meeker and Kandiyohi Counties' first utility-scale community-owned wind project closer to reality."
