Has wind power suddenly become less attractive for Minnesota?
MinnEcon note: My colleague Mike Caputo will soon launch a Minnesota Public Radio News page dedicated to online conversations on topics of the day. His goal: civil discussion that makes us all a little smarter.
Today, he shot me a note about wind power and the economy: How should Minnesota communities embracing wind power react to the news of big competition off the east coast?
Good question. Mike's site will be up in a couple weeks. But you can help him get the conversation rolling by posting some thoughts below or drop us a line directly.
Here's Mike's post:
Create a More Connected Minnesota
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Work is set to go in Albert Lea on building 122 wind turbines, a project to harness wind power for energy. The Bent Tree farm is one of several being proposed for the area.
Wind power debates are also rolling In Goodhue County with about four project pending there.
But now comes the news that the Obama administration has approved offshore wind turbines in the Atlantic to power the east coast.
This could threaten Midwest wind projects, like those in Albert Lea and Goodhue County, according to the Des Moines Register's Green Fields blog.
(O)ffshore Atlantic ocean wind energy poses a potential threat to the burgeoning wind development in Iowa, Minnesota and the Dakotas and those states' desire to export their surplus wind (hopefully at a profit) to more populous states east of the Mississippi River.
That sets up this question: How should Minnesota communities embracing wind power react to the news of big competition off the east coast?
Recent MPR stories on wind energy:
>Xcel ready to build wind farm in SW Minnesota