Winona County commissioners Tuesday heartily endorsed a plan that could lead to construction of the county's first commercial wind turbine on a site in Wiscoy Township.

But similar plans by the county Economic Development Authority to build a commercial wind turbine aren't as likely to progress in the near future, county officials said.

Commissioners unanimously approved a permit for Kelley O'Neill to place a 197-foot-tall meteorological tower on his property in northern Wiscoy Township. The tower will collect weather data to determine the feasibility of building a wind turbine there, county planners have said.

O'Neill could not be reached for comment on Tuesday, and many details on his plan are unclear, including how many turbines he's seeking to build. County planners say he is pursuing the project in tandem with EcoEnergy, an Illinois company that recently announced plans for a 266-turbine wind farm near Preston, Minn.

The site is one of "a handful" of quality wind-power sites in Winona County that could be used in coming years, said county EDA director Linda Grover.

Grover said the recent gust of corporate interest in wind energy is spurred in part by a state mandate passed in 2007 that requires Minnesota energy companies to get 25 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2020.

The county EDA - enticed in part by federal and state incentives - has discussed building a commercial wind turbine since 2005, and has an agreement to lease a site for the turbine in Mount Vernon Township. But EDA director Linda Grover said the authority hasn't been able to buy a single turbine at an affordable price because most turbine manufacturers typically sell only in bulk to large corporations, she said.

"Most of the major suppliers don't have time to talk to people who are interested in buying just one turbine," Grover said.

The county has spent about $55,000 to study the project's feasibility, though those costs will be reimbursed by a federal grant if the project moves forward.