Windustry and partners present the Wind EnergyCenter at the MN State Fair
Windustry celebrates its fifth year working with industry partners to present the Wind Energy Center within The Eco Experience at the Minnesota State Fair. A project of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency,
The Eco Experience is a vibrant and exciting exhibit designed to inspire people to lead more sustainable lives and improve their quality of life and the environment.
Visitors to the Wind Energy Center can explore wind turbines, consult computer mapping for wind speeds throughout the State and talk to staff and volunteers about MN wind as a natural resource to harvest for renewable energy and robust economic development for rural communities.
Wind Energy Center Partners from Wind on the Wires, Thomsen Nybeck, P.A, AMEC and Windustry staff enjoy the Eco Experience Grand Opening.
A record-setting 19 wind energy businesses and nonprofits stepped up to partner with Windustry, including Geronimo Wind Energy, Iberdrola Renewables, and Next Generation Power Systems and other established companies and leaders in the field as well as start-ups and entrepreneurial experts, (Read more about the partners below.)
More than 350,000 visitors explored the Eco Experience in 2009 and the State Fair anticipates a larger crowd this year. Windustry Executive Director Lisa Daniels explains that the Wind Energy Center is aimed at inspiring the hearts and minds of Midwesterners who see the promise in wind energy, particularly as a locally-owned resource.
The Minnesota State Fair runs August 26-September 6, 2010. The Eco Experience is located in the Progress Center building (J-9 on map) at the corner of Cooper Street and Randall Avenue on the State Fairgrounds.
Eco Experience Partners in the Wind Energy Center:
- Geronimo Wind Energy
- Iberdrola Renewables
- Next Generation Power Systems
- Blattner Energy, Inc
- Bergey Windpower Co.
- Southwest Windpower Inc.
- AMEC
- Fredrikson & Byron, P.A
- REDI Resources
- 3M Renewable Energy
- Consulting Engineers Group
- Gamesa Energy USA
- National Wind
- Outland Renewable Energy
- Thomsen Nybeck, P.A
- WindLogics
- Wind on the Wires
- WindPartners Finance, LLC
- EVS, Inc.
- Fryberger, Buchanan, Smith & Frederick, P.A.
- HDR Engineering, Inc.
- Paulson Law Office, Ltd.
Geronimo Wind is a utility-scale wind energy developer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Geronimo Wind’s vision is to spread the benefits of wind energy across the Midwest by developing wind farms that are farmer-friendly, community-driven, and good for the environment. Founded in 2004 with roots in agriculture and investing, Geronimo Wind has quickly grown into a major presence in the Midwest wind energy industry with a development portfolio of more than 4,000 MW, which is enough wind energy to power more than 1.5 million American homes. Geronimo Wind is honored to be a major contributor of the Wind Energy Center this year, and is working diligently to help promote wind energy across the Midwest.
Next Generation Power Systems (a subsidiary of Juhl Wind) is embracing renewable energy production and conservation for the benefit of generations to come. Improving America’s carbon footprint while maintaining energy accessibility is and should be a goal for all to achieve.
Iberdrola Renewables is the largest owner/operator of wind in the world. Iberdrola Renewables is a leading wind developer in Minnesota where we have 400 MW in operation and another 150 MW under construction. We are proud to support the Eco Experience exhibit at the State Fair as it is a great venue for Minnesotans to learn more about wind.
For more than a century, the Blattner Family of Companies has delivered collaborative construction solutions to industry leaders throughout the United States and Canada. Today, as a diversified electrical generation contractor, Blattner Energy’s employees, affiliates and valued vendors have constructed more than 10,000 operating megawatts of wind energy across the country. We are proud to support the Wind Energy Center at the MN State Fair and the greater goal of securing a brighter, cleaner world through renewable energy solutions.
Bergey Windpower is one of the world’s leading suppliers of small wind turbines, with 30 years experience, installations in all 50 U.S. States and more than 100 countries, and an international network of 500 dealers. Bergey takes pride in offering advanced-technology products that let homeowners and businesses generate their own clean power and even spin their utility meter backwards. Bergey turbines are also used for off-grid homes, for rural electrification, and to boost the performance of solar electric systems.
Southwest Windpower’s mission is to be a global leader as a responsible designer, producer and provider of wind turbines up to 40kW, offering wind products chosen by customers for their quality, focused technology, performance, reliability, aesthetics, quietness, simplicity and lowest cost of energy. Southwest Windpower turbines have been the chosen technology for the Windpowering America’s Wind for Schools Program.
AMEC Minneapolis has served its clients proudly since 1956 and continues to strengthen its presence in the clean energy market – our vision is to be your innovative partner developing full life cycle services for Clean Energy. We are a global company with more than 22,000 employees, that has played a major role for over 15 years to make wind power generation a reality. We have served utilities, developers, investors and regulatory authorities and have completed wind farms ranging in size from a few megawatts (MW) to over 200 MW, both on land and offshore.
Fredrikson & Byron is a proud sponsor of the 2010 Wind Energy Center and is excited to support Minnesota's innovative renewable energy initiatives. For nearly a decade, Fredrikson has played a leading role in the development, financing, and acquisition of wind projects in the Upper Midwest and beyond. We know wind, and we use our deep industry insight and connections to provide our renewable energy clients with creative and practical options and strategies to achieve success. We look forward to contributing to the state's renewable energy production goal of "25 by 2025.
REDI Resources is a proud partner of the Wind Energy Center at the Minnesota State Fair. REDI is short for the Rural Energy Development Initiative, a statewide program administered by the Southwest Initiative Foundation (SWIF). The goal of REDI is to maximize rural economic development and stabilize rural economies by building renewable energy capacity, expertise and leadership throughout Minnesota, with a special focus on wind energy. REDI Resources is a brand new online clean energy directory focused on Minnesota. For those planning projects, there could not be a simpler way to find companies who provide exactly the services you need. For companies in the industry, there could not be an easier way to be found and expand your portfolio. Check it out today at www.rediresources.org!
3M Renewable Energy Division is proud to support the Wind Energy Center at the MN State Fair. 3M offers multiple solutions for blade and tower manufacturing, nacelle assembly, turbine installation, and turbine O&M. Products include Protection Tape, Fillers, Coatings, Structural Adhesives, Abrasives, Safety Equipment, and Electrical Splices & Terminations.
Consulting Engineers Group is a subsidiary of Dakota Electric Association located in Farmington Minnesota. CEG’s mission is to provide high quality, high tech transmission and distribution engineering services at competitive prices. The primary strength of CEG is its four professional engineers with over 85 years of electric transmission and distribution experience. We are licensed in several states. Our experience includes substation work from distribution voltages through 345kV, transmission & distribution line design and construction, and detailed planning studies & system analysis.
Gamesa is a global company specializing in wind energy and wind farm development. We see Minnesota as a robust source of wind and with an excellent commitment to renewable energy sources. We are pleased to support the Wind Energy Center in its efforts to educate the public about the benefits of clean, renewable, wind energy.
National Wind is the leader in developing utility-scale (50 megawatts or larger) community wind energy projects. We form powerful community wind energy partnerships with property owners, assuring that the project’s economic benefits are shared with the surrounding community. National Wind is the managing partner of 15 wind energy projects and currently has over 4,000 megawatts in active development.
Outland Renewable Energy develops, operates and maintains wind powered electrical generation facilities in Minnesota and around the US. With more than 160 employees, Outland is one of the largest independent service providers in the North American wind space and is proud to call Canby, Minnesota home. We believe in Minnesota and the economic benefits renewable energy offers. The Wind Energy Center is a great way to show-case what the industry has to offer and why Minnesota is one of the most progressive states in the US when it comes to the development of renewable resources.
Thomsen Nybeck is a full-service law firm in Bloomington, MN. With experience and focus in a wide variety of business, real estate and other legal matters, our wind energy group helps landowners and farmers obtain insight and representation in connection with proposed wind projects. As renewable energy expands in Minnesota, and as businesses look to landowners to negotiate opportunities to harvest the wind, we seek to assist those landowners in having proper representation to understand and manage those contracts.
WindLogics is a leading provider of wind knowledge for utility-scale project development and grid integration, with project experience spanning over 40 states and provinces, as well as six continent. At the heart of the WindLogics approach is a desire to collaborate with clients to solve wind energy problems. Our capabilities in data management, data mining, visualization, and statistical analysis as well as meteorology mean that we offer solutions and support for our wind energy clients from project concept through construction and operation. Since 2004, we have worked with over 250 wind industry customers, ranging from land and facility owners, project developers and financial stakeholders to public power and investor-owned utilities. To date, our staff has completed over 1,400 assessment projects spanning the globe.
Wind on the Wires is a non profit 501(c)3 organization comprised of wind developers, environmental organizations, tribal representatives, public interest groups, clean energy advocates and businesses providing goods and services to the wind industry. Our mission is to overcome the barriers to bringing wind power to market by addressing technical and regulatory issues, as well as through education and public outreach. Wind on the Wires works on a number of wind power issues, including building new transmission lines, improving use of the existing electricity grid, siting of wind projects, advocating for public policy that encourages wind development, and engaging the public on wind issues. For more information please visit our website at www.windonthewires.org.
WindPartners Finance is wind energy finance company providing turbines/financing as a package. We also provide project consulting to analyze project viability, and if viable provide complete development services. WPF has a particular focus for Distributed Generation 1 MW - 8 MW sites. Our Clients are as diverse as colleges, municipals, industrial sites, and developers who understand knowledge and expertise is key to success.
EVS is a civil and environmental engineering and land surveying firm providing services for wind energy projects. EVS is pleased to be part of the Wind Energy Center and help inform the public about the real benefits of wind energy. This is an exciting time to be part of the wind energy industry as our state and country realizes that wind is one of the best alternative energy choices for the future of our environment and economy.
Fryberger, Buchanan, Smith & Frederick, P.A. has been providing legal services to wind generation projects for the past decade. We currently represent projects in every phase of development – from the earliest development stages to projects that have been up and running for several years. Our long experience representing Minnesota businesses has prepared us well to provide the full range of legal services that a wind project might require.
HDR is an employee-owned architecture, engineering and consulting firm with more than 7,800 professionals in 185 locations worldwide. More than 900 of our employees are dedicated to power and energy projects, offering integrated services in planning and consulting, environmental, engineering, right-of-way and public involvement, for all types of transmission, renewable and fossil energy projects.
Paulson Law Office, Ltd. Jeffrey Paulson is a veteran of the wind energy industry in Minnesota and the Midwest and has been a continual Partner of the Wind Energy Center.