Wind Power Media Kit

Wind power is the fastest growing energy source in the world, and wind farms in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin are leading the way.

Alliant Energy is proud to be a national leader in the development and use of wind energy, purchasing emissions-free energy from more than 300 large-scale turbines at 17 wind farms across the upper Midwest. Alliant Energy also owns and operates Cedar Ridge Wind Farm, a 68 MW facility in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. Construction is currently underway at Whispering Willow Wind Farm in Franklin County, Iowa. The 200 MW wind farm will be Alliant Energy’s second owned and operated wind farm. And development plans are underway for the third company owned and operated wind farm, Bent Tree Wind Farm, in Freeborn County, Minnesota.

For specific details on each of these projects, how a wind turbine works and other frequently asked questions about wind energy, please use the links below.

Frequently asked questions about wind power
How a wind turbine works
Facts and figures about wind power
Brochures and fact sheets
More online resources

Related information available on our site includes an overview of our renewable energy portfolio and our long-term utility generation plan.

And don't miss our online Wind Power Photo Gallery , with downloadable images of wind farms in Iowa and Wisconsin.

Frequently asked questions about wind power

Why use wind power?

Wind power is a free, non-polluting, renewable resource. No matter how much is used, there will still be a plentiful supply in the future.

What is a wind farm?

Wind farms are clusters of turbines that generate electricity. Wind is a free and renewable resource that produces clean energy - no emissions, no waste products. Wind farms are located in areas with reliably favorable wind speeds.

What causes wind?

The wind that turns the turbine blades is a form of solar energy. The sun warms the earth's atmosphere unevenly, causing the air to move and swirl, creating wind.

For centuries, wind movement has been converted into mechanical power for low-tech jobs like watering cattle. Now, we can use it to efficiently turn high-tech turbines for electrical generation.

Does using wind power really make a difference for the environment?

Yes! A single utility-scale wind turbine can prevent the emission of 1,500 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere per year. It would take a 500-acre forest to dissipate the same amount of CO2 - a “greenhouse gas” that contributes to global warming.

Why does wind power cost more?

Facilities that use renewable resources to generate electricity are currently more expensive to build and operate. However, the cost of development power has decreased by 20 percent since the 1980s.

Increased customer demand for renewable energy should lead to the development of more renewable resources like wind, as well as lower prices. In addition, the federal Energy Production Tax Credit is helping utilities invest in new wind facilities.

Is Alliant Energy really committed to wind power, or is it just for the publicity?

We're proud to be an industry leader in the development and use of wind power, and it's a key element of our long-term generation plan .

In 2005, we added 150 MW of wind power from the Endeavor Wind Farm in Iowa. By 2008, we're planning to add another 100 MW of wind power in Iowa, with the option of an additional 200 MW.

Can I use wind power at home or work?

While we can't directly send wind-generated electricity to your house or business, you can support the growth of wind power - and solar and biomass energy - through our Second Nature™ program .

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How a wind turbine works

Simply stated, a wind turbine works the opposite of a fan. Instead of using electricity to make wind, a turbine uses wind to make electricity.

The wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to a generator and makes electricity The electricity is sent through transmission and distribution lines to a substation, then on to homes, business and schools.

High-tech turbines equal low environmental impact. That's why wind power is gaining public approval and generating increased awareness.

It is also becoming economically competitive with more conventional power sources - a fact that's greatly improving its prospects as a viable energy source.

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Facts and figures about wind power

Wind power in the United States:

In 2009, the U.S. wind industry broke all previous records by installing 9,922 megawatts (MW) of new wind energy generating capacity. That’s enough to power nearly two and a-half million American homes. These new installations place the U.S. on a trajectory to generate 20 percent of the country’s electricity from wind by 2030.
As of the end of 2009, wind energy generating capacity in the U.S. stands at 35,159 MW. That’s enough energy to power nearly 10 million homes.
America’s current wind power fleet will avoid an estimated 62 million tons of carbon dioxide annually, which is the equivalent to taking 10.5 million cars off the road.
The Midwest has some of the highest wind power potential on earth. Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin all rank in the top 20 states for wind power potential.
Currently, wind power supplies about 1.9 percent of the nation's total electricity production at a cost of about 2.5 cents more per kilowatt-hour, after federal tax credits, than electricity generated by standard sources.

Wind power in Iowa:

With 3,670 MW installed, Iowa trails only Texas in installed wind power generating capacity.
17 percent of the electricity generated in Iowa comes from wind.
Iowa has the potential to produce 4.8 times its own annual electrical consumption through wind power.

Wind power in Wisconsin:

In 2010, Wisconsin is home to nine commercial wind farms, with nearly 449 MW’s of wind power capacity.
Fond du Lac County and northeastern Dodge County are currently home to five of the nine.
Wisconsin currently ranks 17th in existing wind capacity and 18th in potential capacity.

Wind power in Minnesota:

Minnesota ranks fifth nationwide with more than 1,800 MW of installed wind capacity, as of January 2010.
Since 2004, Minnesota has increased its installed wind capacity by 200%
According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), Minnesota has the potential capacity for 75,000 MW of wind energy, which ranks it 9th nationally.

Wind turbines and wind farms:

Based on the current U.S. utility fuel mix, a single one MW turbine displaces nearly 1,800 tons of carbon dioxide, nine tons of sulfur dioxide and four tons of nitrogen oxide each year.
One MW of wind capacity can generate over 3,000 megawatt-hours annually. The average American home uses approximately 10.7 megawatt-hours of electricity per year, so that one MW of wind capacity is enough to supply more than 250 American homes.
An ideal location for a wind farm is one that has an average annual wind speed of at least 14 miles per hour.

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