More than 100 wind turbines could be built in northern Mower County if a power company constructing a meteorological tower there finds good conditions. Depending on the wind data, construction could begin in late 2008 or 2009, said Jeff Broberg, an official with the Rochester-based McGhie & Betts Environmental Services Inc., which is working with Renewable Energy Systems. RES, based in Austin, Texas, and with an office in Minneapolis, gained approval Tuesday from the Mower County Board for a conditional-use permit to build and operate a 190-foot tower in Sargeant Township for wind data.

He doesn't want to stop the wind project, but he'd like the county to take more time to make a decision that could do more harm than good. Scott Riddlemoser lives about a mile from at least one of the wind turbines proposed as part of a nine-tower project in Lyon County, about seven miles south of Minnesota Highway 23, near Lyon County Road 2 by Russell. "I hate to see the county be reactive and that we don't look at everything that impacts people like me," said Riddlemoser, who owns about 10 acres with his house in the county. Lyon County's planning and zoning commission will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the county boardroom at the courthouse to discuss the conditional use permit applications for the four proposed projects. The county's existing wind energy project regulations do not very well address his specific concerns of setbacks, noise, wind wake and easements and visual impact, Riddlemoser said. County zoning administrator John Biren said the county ordinance does address setbacks, noise, wind wakes and other issues. Still, input from residents such as Riddlemoser will be considered by the planning and zoning board and the county, Biren said.

The Afton City Council continued its wind turbine talk during a work session last month. During a Sept. 8 work session two experts in the field, Brian Ross from CR Planning and Sean Wagner from the architecture firm Meyer, Schere & Rockcastle, spoke to the council about wind turbines and turbine ordinances. “We need to hear how the community feels about this issue,” Afton City Council member Bill Palmquist said.

The Mower County Board approved a permit for a new substation to be built near Grand Meadow. The new substation will allow for more electricity to be created through the use of wind turbines.

Anticipating a higher demand for wind energy, Benton County is making it easier for landowners to erect taller windmills. The county board Tuesday changed its land-use ordinance to allow the county's planning commission to decide how tall an energy-producing wind turbine can be. Previously, the ordinance set strict limits on how tall such structures could be - generally no higher than 100 feet in industrial areas and 60 feet in business or farm areas. Exceptions required a variance from the Board of Adjustment. The rule change removes the limit, allowing the planning commission more flexibility when deciding appropriate height, said Chelle Benson, county development director.

CANBY — If it’s going to be approved, the people want it to include wind. During a public hearing Thursday on the conditional use permit for the Big Stone II transmission line project, a number of citizens expressed a desire to see at least some wind energy included as a requirement for the permit. The Big Stone II project would include a 600-megawatt coal burning plant added to an existing site near the Minnesota border in South Dakota. The proposal also includes a transmission line upgrade between Canby and Granite Falls.

With all the wind in South Dakota, seeing more wind turbines on the horizon would only seem to make sense. Xcel Energy Spokesman, Kent Larson, says “As you all know South Dakota has been called the Saudi Arabia of wind with tremendous potential to provide clean, reliable energy to our customers. ” Thursday’s announcement of a new 150-Megawatt wind power project, set to share the border between South Dakota and Minnesota, is significant because that potential is slowly becoming reality. Gary Hanson, with South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, says, “This means the breaking of the ground and the pioneering on the eastern side is just going to grow exponentially.”

A moratorium issued last week by the Austin City Council gave city employees 120 days to finalize a draft ordinance concerning the construction of wind turbines within city limits. It is an issue that three Austin residents find imperative to the process of becoming more energy independent.

Jim and Merlene Stiles, owners of Super Fresh Produce in Austin, are interested in building a wind turbine on their property. But as of now, they can't - a local moratorium is in place on turbine construction as the city is without a specific ordinance regulating their construction. That could change, however, as city officials go forward with a draft ordinance that would layout the dos and don'ts of wind turbine growth within city limits.

Because it is uncharted territory, Community Development Director Gordon Hydukovich is requesting a temporary moratorium on wind turbines. The city attorney will be asked during Tuesday's Fergus Falls City Council meeting to draft such an ordinance. It is necessary, Hydukovich said, until city code can be written clearly stating where they can be placed. The moratorium was prompted by an individual requesting to place a turbine in a residential area. Another request was submitted by an industrial user in the city.

City officials are going back to the drawing board with their proposed wind turbine ordinance. After debate Monday, the Austin City Council decided to table the proposed ordinance because council members said it needs more research. Planning Commission chairwoman Lynn Spainhower heard from angry residents of Oak Park Village, who took exception to her remark to the council that the 350-foot setback the commission added last week was "arbitrary."

The Clay County Commission approved an ordinance Tuesday that establishes standards stricter than state law on where wind turbines can be erected and how noisy they can be at night. The new rules apply to projects not regulated by the state, which are those that generate less than 5 megawatts of power.

The City of Fergus Falls is well on its way to adopting a policy regarding the installation of commercial and private wind turbines. Wind Energy Conservation Systems (WECS) were the order of business at Monday's Planning Commission meeting, where members approved an ordinance that may see a first reading by the city council as early as Monday. Fergus Falls currently has a temporary moratorium on wind turbines. The six-month ordinance was passed by the council in late February following requests for turbines by both residential and industrial users.

Lyon County's planning and zoning commission is recommending county commissioners approve the largest wind tower project planned for the county. The commission approved a continuation of a meeting Friday afternoon recommending approval of four conditional use permits for nine wind towers on sites in Sodus Township. Missouri River Energy will receive the energy and provide it to Marshall Municipal Utilities. Commissioners meet Tuesday. Friday's meeting was a continuation of Wednesday night's commission meeting where several wind tower issues were raised and discussed. "We're basing this on the best information we have at the time," county zoning administrator John Biren said Friday. After the meeting, Biren said he will not ask the county board or the planning and zoning commission to make any changes in the new wind energy ordinance, although one county resident has asked the county to change the new ordinance. Biren said the new ordinance is good, and the state will also have new legislation in January on wind energy.

The Mower County Planning Commission has endorsed the first farmer-owned wind farm cooperative in Mower County. It may also be one of the first wind energy ventures in the state by farmers who want to invest in producing electricity by wind energy and selling it themselves. The key words are "farmer-owned."

The road to the development of wind energy in Kandiyohi County is paved with giant tasks: Finding investors. Doing a wind study. Doing a study of energy transmission lines. Negotiating power contracts. Local organizers believe it’s feasible, however — and they’re taking initial steps to explore it further.

Winona County’s proposed wind turbine project moved toward the end of its study phase this week when the county board of commissioners approved an additional $44,000 in seed money.

As expected, the Mower County Board of Commissioners agreed Tuesday to table action on three requests for an EnXco wind energy project. The firm received the recommendation of approval for their requests a week ago from the Mower County Planning Commission. However, many concerns were raised by residents of Pleasant Valley and Grand Meadow townships, who live near the high voltage transmission line route or the substation EnXco plans to construct. The commission recommended the commissioners table action until the petitioner and the citizens can meet to discuss the issues.

A Mower County resident is seeking to build what he calls the first farmer-owned wind farm in the region. James Hartson, a farmer in Waltham Township, along with his wife, Jane, got support for an initial step Tuesday night from the county's Planning Commission. The commission voted unanimously to recommend the Mower County Board approve a conditional-use permit for the Hartsons to build a meteorological tower on vacant farm land, east of Minnesota Highway 56. It will gather data for a potential wind farm. Community Wind Development Group, based in Bingham Lake, Minn., is the petitioner for the tower. It mainly focuses on assisting communities, farmers and small businesses with renewable energy projects, according to its Web site. The county board will hear the request July 10.

The Freeborn County commissioners on Tuesday accepted written comments gathered by the Planning and Zoning Department on a proposed transmission line to connect the planned Bent Tree Wind Farm to the Hayward electrical substation. As recommended by Planning and Zoning Director Wayne Sorensen, the commissioners resolved to consider public concerns in an environmental assessment to be done by the Planning and Zoning Department.