By Kevin Lilly, Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, Ind.
CHALMERS, IND.: White County farmer Jerry Thompson had a yard full of people gathered under a tent on Tuesday talking about harnessing something that can be felt but not seen.
The topic was the wind that blew steadily throughout the ceremonial groundbreaking for Meadow Lake Wind Farm, which by the end of the year will turn the invisible force into electricity. Thompson expressed his gratitude to be among the more than 100 landowners involved in the project that has already boosted the local economy with construction jobs and created extra revenue for local government.
"Of course, No. 1 is the extra revenue it generates for our farms, but more importantly, it's for our community," Thompson said. "We're rural and property owners out here are already stressed due to property taxes and trying to keep our public schools going. It's just good for everyone up and down the road."
Landowners get paid to lease their land to Horizon Wind Energy, a Houston-based company that operates 16 wind farms throughout the United States.
When the first of three phases is completed by Oct. 31, western White County will be home to 121 turbines that will produce enough electricity to power as many as 60,000 homes each year.
"That's a lot of energy," said Ken Ripper, Horizon's chief technical officer.
Ripper promoted wind as a clean, infinite and renewable energy. He said the Meadow Lake project would prevent the emission of nearly 640,000 tons of climate-changing carbon dioxide created by other methods of making electricity.
Because of the potential for creating about 400 temporary jobs and 20 permanent, full-time jobs in the first phase, White County officials were excited.
"For the past several months, every news and business magazine you can think of has run articles about America being on the edge of an alternative energy revolution," said Commissioner John Heimlich. "We here in White County believe we can not only by a part of that revolution, we believe that we can be a leader."
The project has the potential to reach 1,000 megawatts, ultimately powering 250,000 homes.
Connie Neininger, executive director of White County Economic Development, talked about the increased tax base, the reduced dependency on foreign energy and the additional income to farmers, who will still be able to farm their land.
"The Meadow Lake Wind Farm is the single, largest capital investment in White County for economic development today," Neininger said.
To help the project become long-term, Ivy Tech is developing an alternative energy course aimed at the area's work force.
Neininger pointed out that harnessing wind for power is far from a new concept. Small turbines once were commonplace for rural electrification, she said.
"Wind projects in rural America may just be a return to the past that could help preserve rural communities and the family farm," Neininger said.
Logansport and Cass County officials have expressed interest in tapping into their wind resources. Mayor Mike Fincher attended the groundbreaking. He said he was there to learn more about the growing trend.
On Monday evening, the Cass County planning department invited Benton County Extension Director Jim Bricker to discuss how his county became home to the state's biggest wind farms.
Plan Director Stan Williams said his office had received numerous inquires into the county's regulations on wind energy.
Bob Dunderman of Logansport Municipal Utilities attended the meeting. He said LMU was interested in adding wind power to its portfolio.
As the one-hour meeting wrapped up, Bricker offered his services to Cass County officials as they explore the county's wind energy options. Commissioner Gene Powlen told Bricker, "We'll be in touch."
On Monday, Gov. Mitch Daniels proclaimed this week Indiana Wind Energy Week. The American Wind Energy Association also released its annual study listing Indiana as the fastest-growing state for wind energy installations in 2008.
Adam Serchuk, a marketing director for Vestas Americas, the Danish company manufacturing the turbines for Meadow Lake, sees the wind energy industry as an economic savior for the United States.
According to the American Wind Energy Association, there are 85,000 Americans working in the wind industry. Serchuk said 30,000 of those jobs were created in 2008.
"We believe that the clean energy industries are going to be part of what leads us forward out of this recession into a place where we want our country to be," Serchuk said.
In Indiana, there are 300 working wind turbines producing 500 megawatts of power. According to Serchuk, there are 13 projects in the state that should be online by 2012.
Denise Bode, chief executive officer of the American Wind Energy Association, attended Tuesday's event.
"This is just the beginning of building out a brand-new manufacturing base and electric-generation base in the state of Indiana," she said.
Kevin Lilly can be reached at (574) 732-5117, or via e-mail at kevin.lilly@pharostribune.com
Want to know more?
The American Wind Energy Association recently released its annual report, naming Indiana the fastest growing state in the United States in regard to wind energy installations. To read the report and learn more about wind energy, go to the organization's Web site at www.awea.org
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