Minnesota and its Wind Energy Program

Introduction

Wind is any flow of air above Earth's surface in a roughly horizontal direction. The ultimate cause of Earth's winds is solar energy. When sunlight strikes Earth's surface, it heats that surface differently. Uneven heating of Earth's surface, in turn, causes differences in air pressure at various locations. Since the atmosphere constantly seeks to restore balance, air from areas of high pressure always flows into adjacent areas of low pressure. This flow of air is wind. Wind power is a form of usable energy that results from converting the kinetic energy of the wind into electricity or mechanical energy that can be used in homes and industries. Wind power currently accounts for about 1% of the global energy production. This paper discusses how Minnesota has a responsibility to further develop its wind energy program.

Discussion

Minnesota does have a responsibility to further develop its wind energy program but this can be attained with the contribution of private companies. Minnesota is the best area to be a North American manufacturing and distribution hub for concerns that desire to work in the wind energy business.  In terms of wind power generation, Minnesota is positioned as 3rd in the USA. (DeWinkel, 96-98)

Background of Wind Energy in Minnesota

Wind is the movement of air from an area of higher air pressure to an area of lower air pressure. The movement of air can be harnessed to provide power. Centuries ago, wind power was used to grind grain and to pump water. In modern times, wind has been harnessed to generate electricity. In the twentieth century, wind power has become more popular, with large arrays of windmills (wind farms) being established worldwide.

Historically, Windmills were built in Minnesota and North America, for the same purposes beginning in the late seventeenth century as colonization to present-day Canada and the eastern United States occurred. As the Midwest became settled and ranging began, windmills also became used as pumps to bring water to the surface from wells. These small windmills took advantage of the near constant winds that are still a feature of prairie regions. From 1850 to 1970, over six million windmills were built on U.S. farms. The development on the Great Plains has been most noticeable in Iowa and Minnesota, where 324 and 319 MW of generating capacity, respectively, were installed at the time of this writing. Unlike Texas, where most of the wind installations are on marginal grazing land or in spent oilfields, the wind turbines in Iowa and Minnesota are on working farms. Also on the Great Plains, albeit farther west, wind developments have been appearing in Wyoming ranching country, where at the end of 2001 there was about 140 MW of installed generating capacity. In some locations in that state, such as near Interstate 80 west of Laramie, the wind is ferocious, and for the first time it is being seen not as a burden of life in the area but rather as an asset. In the Great Plains, NIMBY ...