The complete wind farm would have used up to 2,020 of Clipper's Liberty 2.5 MW wind turbines.[2] However, this is no longer planned, as Clipper Windpower has since ceased production of wind turbines due to financial problems and the potential capacity is double local demand.[5]
Operating at full planned capacity, the proposed expansion would be able to supply the electricity for 100% of the households in the state several times over. South Dakota's entire electricity consumption in 2005 was 9.811 TWh.[6] At an assumed capacity factor of 40% (roughly what is currently observed in South Dakota), a 5.05 GW nameplate capacity would correspond to an annual generation of 17.7 TWh.
Construction of phase I began in 2009 on a 7,500-acre (3,000 ha) site in Hand County in the Ree Hills south of Ree Heights.[1] The project was complete by the end of the year.[7] Phase I consists of 10 Liberty C89 2.5 MW wind turbines for a combined nameplate capacity of 25 MW. Northwestern Energy has a long-term power purchase agreement.[1][7]
Renewable energy portal
