Farmer-Owned Distributed Wind Turbines

Project Description

Farmer-Owned Distributed Wind Projects

Project Type

Farm Distributed Wind

Project Location

Variety of projects throughout Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin

Project Overview/Description

NativeEnergy recently concluded a long-term agreement with Next Generation Power Systems, Inc., to support its sales and installations of German designed 40 kW Aeroman wind turbines that are remanufactured and customized for Midwest conditions. With up-front funding from NativeEnergy reducing turbine costs to an acceptable level, these turbines will help farmers reduce their long-term electricity costs, while helping stabilize the electricity grid with distributed, small scale power generation. NativeEnergy and NexGen built over 30 turbines in 2006 and 2007 collectively. Over 30 MW of energy are being produced from these farmer-owned wind projects throughout Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Project Participants

The following farms are part of NativeEnergy’s Farmer Wind Projects:

• The Burkhalter Farm (Minnesota)
• Marty Espenson's farm (Minnesota)
• Dean Harder's farm (Minnesota)
• Peter Samuelson's farm (Minnesota)
• Charles & Louise Worm's farm (Minnesota)
• Steve and Jane Tiedeman's farm (Minnesota)
• The Overgaard family farm (Minnesota)
• Neil and Tammy Bartel's farm (Minnesota)
• Dean Tofteland's farm (Minnesota)
• Barry and Tami Bork's farm (South Dakota)
• The Peterson family farm (Minnesota)
• Roddy Hanson's farm (Minnesota)
• Mark Hanson's farm (Minnesota)
• The Schroepfer farm (Minnesota)
• The Fredin farm (Minnesota)
• The Jacoby farm (Minnesota)
• The Williamson farm (Minnesota)

Offset Type

Forward Stream offsets over 20 years

Verification/Monitoring

Estimation and monitoring methodology was developed with the Climate Neutral Network and is available at www.NativeEnergy.com. Annual performance data is monitored.

Additionality

Estimation and monitoring methodology was developed with the Climate Neutral Network and is available at www.NativeEnergy.com. Annual performance data is monitored.

Sustainable Development Benefits

These wind projects displace grid electricity procured from fossil fuel sources with clean and renewable electricity. Clean air and water benefits are realized from the displaced fossil electricity. Distributed renewable energy projects also help to stabilize the electric grid making it more robust and reliable. As these are all community-based efforts, the projects have been integral in educating local communities and spreading awareness of the threat of global warming and the hope that exists in renewable energy potential. In addition, by purchasing offsets from distributed farmer-owned turbines, NativeEnergy customers are helping to ensure these farms will be around for generations to come.