National Wind, LLC has partnered with the local communities in eastern Dodge and western Olmsted counties to form High Country Energy… a partnership that will create the nation’s largest community-owned wind energy project.
A press release from the company web site says National Wind will manage the development and construction of a 300 megawatt wind farm in conjunction with the local communities:
“We are grateful to the community for their strong local support of this project and to the local landowners who have decided to partner with us,” said Pat Pelstring, co-founder and chairperson of National Wind. “This is a ground-breaking community-owned project because it compares in size to some of the nation’s largest utility projects.”
“This allows the project to take advantage of economies of scale not normally available to community-owned projects. It is owned by the local community with significant financial returns for the local community.”
Company officials say Minnesota’s New Generation Energy Act of 2007 has created the incentives to help make this happen. The project will return 51 percent of its profits back to the local communities. It will also help Minnesota reach its 25 percent electricty from renewable sources goal by 2025.
The article doesn’t directly state it, but I believe Smiling Earth Energy (check out the cool logo!) is still the one developing the project. The story does go on to say that the projetc has already received approval of the local planning commission, and the city council will consider it later this month.
Five departments of the City of Pocatello, Idaho are making the switch to biodiesel for their fleet of vehicles.
Ryan Hunter-Reay wasn’t the only Indy Car Driver consumers had the chance to meet at today’s ethanol pump promotion. Roth Racing Driver PJ Chesson also came out to help support ethanol. Consumers throughly enjoyed PJ antics at the gas pump. The rambunctious driver washed windshields, scribbled his name in bumper dust and even paid for one woman’s gas.
Most customers lined up waiting for cheap gas greeted me, camera in tow, with eager smiles. Happy to be saving some cash and fueling up with ethanol I’m sure. I chatted with a few friendly faces, Les DiCarlo, Jimmy Spayer and Jim Labeau.
I think it’s safe to say that all of us a part of the ZimmComm Media crew have been eager to meet ethanol’s new driver Ryan Hunter-Reay and hear what he has to say about driving with Team Ethanol. I lucked out and got to be the first one of the ZimmComm bunch to introduce myself to the Indy Driver. Ryan stressed the importance of brining ethanol education to the community, and he says that consumer education starts at the pump.
Greetings from Chicago! Well, Joliet actually. I’m in Illinois with the 
A newly appropriated biofuel center in North Carolina will be the state’s launch pad for its latest targeted benchmark with biofuels.