Wind Power

Alliant Energy purchases wind energy from more than 300 large-scale turbines located at 15 wind farms across the upper Midwest.

Construction is underway in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin on Cedar Ridge Wind Farm, which will be the company’s first fully owned and operated wind farm. Plans are also underway in Franklin County, Iowa for Whispering Willow Wind Farm and Alliant Energy is also exploring sites in southern Minnesota for a third company owned and operated wind farm.

Read on to learn more about just a few of Alliant Energy’s wind generation facilities.

Worth County, Iowa

In February 2001, Alliant Energy signed a long-term contract to purchase 80 megawatts of electricity - enough to supply approximately 20,000 homes - from the Top of Iowa Wind Farm near Joice, Iowa.

The facility was co-developed by Zilkha Renewable Energy and Midwest Renewable Energy Corporation, with turbines purchased from NEG Micon.

Hancock County, Iowa

The Hancock County Wind Energy Center became one of the largest commercial-scale wind farms in Iowa when it began operation in December 2002.

The 148 Vestas turbines produce 98 MW of electricity, enough electricity for about 24,500 homes. Alliant Energy is one of four utilities purchasing power from the facility.

The total land used for all 148 turbine foundations and access roads is about 60 acres. The Hancock County facility is owned and operated by FPL Energy.

Buena Vista County, Iowa

In September 1999, the Storm Lake Wind Power Facility was dedicated in Alta, Iowa.

Alliant Energy purchases 80.25 megawatts of electricity generated from 107 turbines, enough energy to power nearly 20,000 homes.

One of the world's largest wind farms, the Storm Lake Wind Power Facility consists of 260 turbines capable of producing 193 megawatts — providing enough electricity to power 72,000 Midwestern homes.

Cerro Gordo County, Iowa

The Cerro Gordo Wind Farm near Ventura in north central Iowa began providing clean electric energy to Alliant Energy customers in May 1999. Alliant Energy has contracted with FPL Energy to purchase all electricity produced on the Cerro Gordo facility for a 20-year period.

The Cerro Gordo Wind Farm spans 2,110 acres and has a generating capacity of 42 megawatts. Fifty-five turbines occupy only 2.4 acres and have a minimal effect on farming. More than 10 miles of underground cables link the turbines and transmit electricity to a nearby substation.

Dickinson County, Iowa

Alliant Energy-IPL has a 15-year contract to purchase wind energy from the Flying Cloud Wind Farm, a 44-megawatt facility located near Spirit Lake in northwest Iowa.

The facility, which went online in December 2003, consists of 29 General Electric 1.5 megawatt turbines – enough to power about 11,000 homes each year. The facility was the first wind farm in the United States to go commercial using GE’s new 80-meter towers.

The project is owned by PPM Energy, was developed by Clipper Windpower and is operated by GE Energy.

Iowa County, Wisconsin

In April 2001, Alliant Energy announced an agreement with FPL Energy to purchase 4.5 MW of new wind generation capacity in Wisconsin. The Montfort Wind Farm, located in Iowa County near Montfort, is the largest wind facility in Wisconsin.

The facility includes of twenty 1.5-megawatt wind turbines. The turbines stand on 215-foot towers and are outfitted with 100-foot blades. The capacity of the wind farm totals 30 megawatts – enough to power approximately 7,500 homes.

Wilmont Hills, Minnesota

The first wind facility built specifically for Alliant Energy’s Second Nature™ renewable energy program went online in February 2002.

Alliant Energy contracted with Northern Alternative Energy to develop the facility, which contains a single three-bladed, 1.5-megawatt turbine. The tower stands 230 feet tall to the hub, and its blades stretch 236 feet across.

The turbine provides 4.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity a year, enough to power for about 375 homes. It stands on a 220-acre farm owned by Leon and Dolores Sieve.

Learn more:

Visit these informative site to learn more about wind energy:

American Wind Energy Association

U.S. Department of Energy: Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

National Wind Technology Center

National Wind & Hydropower Technologies Program

Alliant Energy Kids: Wind Power