Wind farms: Continuing controversy

Posted January 13, 2008

Wind farms: Continuing controversy

By Sharon Roznik
The reporter sroznik@fdlreporter.com

Wind farms looming on the local horizon have brought the promise of renewable energy and pitted neighbor against neighbor.

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Both Blue Sky Green Field, a planned 88-turbine wind farm set on 10,600 acres in the townships of Calumet and Marshfield, and Cedar Ridge Farm, with 41 turbines on 7,800 acres in the townships of Eden and Empire, are expected to be in operation by the end of this year. Output from Blue Sky Green Field alone will double the Wisconsin wind energy capacity approved or already in operation.

Add the 133-turbine Forward Wind Energy Center going up in southern Fond du Lac County and northern Dodge County into the equation and the combined wind projects involve 253 turbines and will provide up to 380 megawatts of power.

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A recent economic analysis predicts that Wisconsin would gain 4,240 new jobs, $724 million in new capital investment, $291 million in income to farmers and $11 million in local tax revenues if it adopted a plan to generate 20 percent of its electricity from renewable fuels by 2020, according to Clean Wisconsin, an environmental advocacy group.

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