{"id":9249,"date":"2014-10-24T07:19:35","date_gmt":"2014-10-24T14:19:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ietransfer.wpengine.com\/?p=9249"},"modified":"2017-06-30T13:06:29","modified_gmt":"2017-06-30T20:06:29","slug":"iowans-favorite-day-windsday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inspiredeconomist.com\/articles\/iowans-favorite-day-windsday\/","title":{"rendered":"Iowan’s Favorite Day? “Wind ‘sday”"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a><\/p>\n Combining easy daytrips with collecting photos of warrior wind turbines can be an enjoyable weekend pastime for the whole family. There are so many wind farms in the state of Iowa, that it’s becoming a hot trend. Giant wind turbines are awesome-looking, appealing to all ages. The sheer size of a giant wind turbine can not fully be appreciated, until standing beside one. Only then is it possible to understand how it feels to be an ant.<\/p>\n While it is very easy for children to appreciate these towers of power without understanding the technology, with one graphic and a bit of explanation, you’ll be armed with enough data to educate your whole family. And, if you’re lucky enough to live in Iowa, the list of wind farms provided below will kickstart your weekend. <\/p>\n Even if you don’t live in Iowa, the chances are good that you don’t live far from a windfarm. Do a quick internet search, and you and your family might have a great time stalking titans. Bang the roadtrip gong, pack a picnic, and don’t forget your camera!<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Like futuristic monuments to the Titan of Energy, vast arrays of wind turbines can really excite the senses. With a little imagination, they look like a cohort of giant sci-fi robot warriors rising sky-high on the horizon, bristling with razor sharp blades. Just look at them, whirling threateningly and flashing in the sunlight. <\/p>\n A new craze for photographing wind turbines is totally understandable. Who could resist these giant machines, bursting with so much x-factor? With over thirty wind farms in the state of Iowa alone, there’s a great array of awesome monsters within everyone’s easy reach, in any direction taken. Any day of the week is good, too, but the best day, of course, is “Windsday.”<\/p>\n Shown in the photo at the top of the page is Hancock County Wind Energy Center in\u00a0Hancock County, Iowa. Bristling with 148 sky-high “Vestas\u00a0V47-660kW” wind turbines, it has the capacity to produce 97.68 megawatts of power, which is enough to serve approximately 25,000 homes. <\/p>\n Another of the many popular wind farms in Iowa is Whispering Willow Wind Farm.<\/a> This monster cohort is occupying Franklin County, in north central Iowa, near Hampton. In operation by AlliantEnergy since December 2009, this wind farm consists of 121 Titan-like turbines. These bristling warriors are serious climate change<\/a> mitigators, capable of generating enough power for 50,000 homes, or up to 200 megawatts (MW) of electricity. <\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Whispering Willow East covers approximately 33,000 acres or approximately 51 square miles (or 140 square kilometers). Each one of these monster wind turbine titans is capable of producing approximately 1.65 megawatts. That’s enough lightning juice to fully power 400 homes. And they are tireless, ever-ready warriors, producing power approximately 90% of the time, depending upon sustainable wind speeds and the growling appetite of the electric grid. <\/p>\n Here are some more interesting facts to comprehend the view, while stalking sky-high sci-fi robot warriors:<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n \u2022 Power generation begins at 9 miles per hour with a maximum power generation of 27 miles per hour. <\/p>\n \u2022 The towers are tubular and made of rolled steel. <\/p>\n \u2022 The blades are made of fiberglass\u2013reinforced polyester or wood epoxy. <\/p>\n \u2022 Height of the wind turbines is nearly 400 feet from the ground to the tip of the blade when a blade is straight up. <\/p>\n \u2022 The length of each blade is 131 feet. Each blade weighs 15,000 pounds. <\/p>\n \u2022 The nacelle weighs 104,000 pounds. The hub weighs 42,000 pounds. The total weight of each turbine is more than 450,000 pounds. <\/p>\n Wind farms are located all over Iowa, but are more prevalent<\/a> in the north and west portion of the state. This is because winds in these areas tend to be stronger. Iowans always know exactly which way the wind is blowing. They clearly understand the benefits of wind power to the environment. Wind turbines do not emit greenhouse gases, nor do they destroy natural resources, such as wetlands or animal habitats. <\/p>\n Over $10 billion has been invested to date in wind power projects, with another $280 million arriving soon<\/a> from Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway.Manufacturing<\/a> operations and facilities have also played a big role Iowan economics. In this state, wind power sits in the front seat. <\/p>\n Wind farms have benefitted Iowans by bringing in millions of dollars for infrastructure projects. The wind power industry in Iowa employs six to seven thousand people. In addition to federal programs, the state of Iowa encourages development of renewable electricity sources through a 1 cent per kilowatt hour tax credit.\u00a0Also, power generating equipment is exempt from sales tax, and both generating equipment and facilities receive property tax breaks. <\/p>\n The development of wind power in Iowa began in 1983 with a state law requiring investor-owned utilities to buy a total of 105 MW of power from wind generated electricity. Historically, this is one of the first renewable electricity portfolio standards in the country. Builders of wind power installations in Iowa were thus assured of a market for the electricity they would produce.<\/p>\n In 2009 and 2010, Iowa led the U.S. in electrical power generated by wind, at 14.2% and 15.4%, respectively. This was up from 7.7% in 2008, following a large increase in the installed capacity in 2008. Some of the electricity generated by Iowan wind power is sold to utility companies in\u00a0Wisconsin and\u00a0Illinois.<\/p>\n Currently, Iowa\u00a0is a leading\u00a0U.S.\u00a0state in\u00a0wind power\u00a0generation with 27.4% of the state’s electricity generation coming from wind in 2013. At the end of 2013,\u00a0Iowa had produced 5,137\u00a0megawatts\u00a0of capacity, third only to Texas and California. In fact, Iowa generated more electricity from wind power in 2013 than California, even though it had less wind power capacity installed.<\/p>\nGiant Sci-Fi Robot Warriors Bristling With Razor Sharp Blades<\/strong><\/h3>\n
The Landscape of Iowa is Bristling with Power<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Understanding The View At Whispering Willow Wind Farm<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Iowans Know Exactly Which Way The Wind Is Blowing<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Wind Power Development In Iowa Began In 1983<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Iowa is First in the U.S. for Wind Power Generation Capacity<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Iowa Is Currently Third In The Nation For Installed Wind Power Capacity<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Sightseeing List Of Wind Farms In Iowa:<\/strong><\/h3>\n