1000 Wind Turbines: Iowa Announces Plan To Go Totally Renewable

Right on Time

In April, regulated electric and natural gas service provider, MidAmerican Energy, announced their plan to dedicate $3.6 billion for additional wind turbines in Iowa by the end of 2019. The project, named Wind XI, was set to make history as Iowa’s largest economic development project.

The state board granted the provider approval for the project…and right on time, too. The approval was granted just last Friday.

"The early approval helps ensure MidAmerican can take full advantage of the recently extended federal wind production tax credit—a policy we support," says Iowa Environment Council energy program director Nathaniel.

The project will give rise to 1,000 towers—each tower rises 115.5 meters (379 feet) high, making their turbines among the tallest in the US.

Watch the video below to see how they’re made.

Closer to A Purely Renewable Energy Future

Wind XI brings MidAmerican closer to making their vision of running Iowa on 100% pure renewable energy a reality. They say this wind farm would be capable of providing 85% of their consumers’ needs by 2020. In 2015, MidAmerican’s wind farms provided 47% of their sales in Iowa. Existing projects are expected to raise that to 58% next year.

"We are finalizing plans to begin construction of the 1,000 wind turbines, with completion expected by the end of 2019," says MidAmerican spokeswoman Ashton Hockman. "Wind XI will add up to 2,000 megawatts of wind generation in Iowa and is the largest wind project MidAmerican Energy has ever undertaken."

Last year, more than 31% of Iowa’s total energy generation was sourced from wind energy, bringing them up to second in the ranks for net electricity generation from wind power among all states. And at the rate things are developing, it’s not unlikely they could lead that list soon.