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Published bi-monthly

Mission Statement:

The Wisconsin Wind Information Center is the central resource devoted to informing the public and policy makers on wind projects over 100 kilowatts in Wisconsin.  The facts, policies, and histories of large scale wind projects will serve to describe the paths taken towards greater social acceptance of large-scale wind energy in the state.

Credits:

This project is undertaken by RENEW Wisconsin and funded by a grant from the United States Department of Energy. 

Snapshot - Midwest Windpower Development Activity
October 2012

State Operating capacity (in MW) Being Built (in MW)
IA 4536 597
IL 3055 480
MN 2717 ~40
IN 1343 ~200
WI 631  5
MO 459 --
MI  515 ~200
OH 420 --

Source: American Wind Energy Association, RENEW

Wisconsin Wind Information Center

Local Wind Application Filing Requirements

Wisconsin Administrative Code § PSC 128.50(1) requires the Commission to establish detailed application filing requirements for wind energy system applications filed for political subdivision review. These local wind application filing requirements are available below and contain a detailed description of the information required to satisfy the filing requirements for applications under Wis. Administrative. Code § PSC 128.30(2). The Commission may revise these requirements as necessary, and any revisions will be posted here on the Commission’s website. 

For specific questions about the application filing requirements for wind projects less than 100 MW please contact Marilyn Weiss (608) 266-1613, Marilyn.Weiss@wisconsin.gov.

Update: Wind Siting Rules Take Effect in Wisconsin

Effective March 16, 2012, new wind energy systems in Wisconsin are subject to a statewide rule (PSC 128) promulgated by the Public Service Commission. PSC 128, which establishes standards for local government review of wind energy systems, was suspended by the Legislature on March 1st, 2011, the very day it was to have taken effect. From its effective date forward, local governments may not impose standards or restrictions on the placement and use of wind energy systems that are stricter than what is set forth in the siting rule. PSC 128 became operative when the Wisconsin Legislature adjourned without taking any final action on bills to repeal the rule outright.  See http://psc.wi.gov/renewables/windSitingRules.htm.

The contents of PSC 128 have not changed at all since the agency finalized the rule back in December 2010.  A rule once suspended cannot be suspended again by a future Legislature. The rule is available for public inspection at  http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/psc/128.pdf.

A future Legislature may repeal an agency rule, either in whole are in part. However, such an undertaking would be considerably more challenging than a rule suspension, which requires only a simple majority vote of the Joint Committee for the Review of Administrative Rules. The next legislative session will convene in January 2013.

See ongoing public information and background documents on Wisconsin Wind Siting Rule development Page (PSC Docket 1-AC-231)

Wisconsin Wind Farms

For more information see overview

Document - Commercial Wind Energy Installations in Wisconsin 1998-2012

 # County Wind Project Name/Owner Start Date No. of Turbines MW
1 Dane Epic Systems
Galactic Wind Farm
December 2012 6 10
2 Racine SC Johnson
Waxdale Wind
December 2012 2 5
3 Monroe "Cashton Greens"
Organic Valley Cooperative + Gundersen Lutheran
May 2012 2 5
4 Columbia "Glacier Hills"
Project Details
December 2011 90 162
3 Brown "Shirley Wind"
DEGS Wind I, LLC, a subsidiary of Duke Energy Corporation
February 2011 8 20
5 Dodge "Butler Ridge"
NextEra Energy
January 2009 36 54
6 Fond du Lac "Cedar Ridge"
Project Details
WI Power & Light
December 2008 41 68
7 Fond du Lac "Blue Sky Green Field
We Energies
May 2008 88 145
8 Dodge/Fond du Lac

"Forward"
Invenergy

May 2008 86 129
9 Iowa "Montfort"
Next Era Resources
2001 20 30
10 Kewaunee

"Rosiere"
Madison Gas & Electric

1999 17 11.2
11 Kewaunee "Lincoln"
WI Public Service
1999 14  9.2
12 Fond du Lac "Byron"
We Energies
1999 2  1.3
  404 634

Wisconsin Wind Farm Productivity Comparable to Iowa’s

2010 Net Production by Wind Generation Installations

Utility Wind Project State Capacity (in MW) Output (in MWH) Capacity factor
WI Public Service Corp. Crane Creek IA 99 271,539 0.3131
WI Power & Light Cedar Ridge WI 67.65 178,005 0.3004
Madison Gas & Electric Top of Iowa 3 IA 29.7 70,415 0.2706
WI Electric Power Co. Blue Sky Green Field WI 145.2 326,880 0.2570

*All of the wind projects listed contribute to the utilities’ required supply of renewable energy a specified under 2005 Act 141.

Read More . . .

Suspended or Cancelled Windpower
Projects in Wisconsin

(as of October 28, 2011)

Town (County) Developer MW Turbine type Status Name
Stockbridge/
Brothertown (Calumet)

Midwest Wind Energy

 98

Unspecified

Project suspended March 2011

Stony Brook

Glenmore, Holland, Morrison, Wrightstown (Brown)

Invenergy, LLC

150

GE 1.5 MW
(100 turbines)

Project cancelled March 2011

Ledge Wind 

Green Lake

Alliant Energy

100 - 150

Unspecified

Project cancelled May 2011

N/A

Chilton, Rantoul (Calumet)

Acciona Wind Energy USA

50 - 75

Acciona 1.5 MW

Project cancelled September 2011

EcoMet

Hazel Green, Smelser, Paris (Grant)

Wind Capital Group

 98

Unspecified

Project on hold

White Oak

Mishicot, Two Creeks, Two Rivers (Manitowoc)

Element Power

160

GE 1.6 MW

Project on hold

Tisch Mills

Mishicot (Manitowoc)

Emerging Energies

 17.5

Nordex 2.5 MW

Project on hold

Beautiful Hill

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