Discover Minneapolis


Wind Energy: Umm Leads The Way For American Universities

In March 2005, the University of
Minnesota-Morris became the first publicThe generator is a model of efficiency, and
American university to install a large-scaleonly takes a breeze of 7-9 mph to begin
wind turbine to help meet the school'sgenerating electricity. It takes a 26 mph
electrical needs. Since it was installed, thewind to generate the unit's full 1.65
generator has supplied some 60 percent of themegawatts. There's a dedicated power line to
university's power. The rest of the school'sthe UMM campus, and if the University needs
power needs are purchased from Otter Tailmore power, the local utility lines provide
Power  Company's  Tailwinds  Program.it automatically, so no one on campus knows
if the power is coming from the generator or
Those figures mean that whether thethe grid at any given time. On the other side
electricity is generated on site or purchasedof the coin, whenever UMM's power needs are
off the grid, 100 percent of UMM's electricalless than what the generator is producing,
power needs are supplied by wind power, butthe excess electric energy is directed back
the school's commitment to energyinto  the  local  utility  grid.
independence doesn't stop there. The
university's students have helped the schoolAll this is impressive, but the university
reach toward its energy goals by reducinghas even more extensive plans for increasing
electricity, water, and waste needs. Theits energy independence. There are plans for
faculty has also gotten into the spirit, asthe construction of a biomass gasification
well, placing considerable emphasis on greenplant at UMM in 2006, which will be capable
power  and  conservation in their classrooms.of meeting 80 percent of the campus' heating
and cooling needs. The plant will use stover
The UMM 1.65 megawatt Vestas generator is an(stalk residue) from cornfields in the area,
impressive sight, with 135-foot blades and aas well as waste wood, other crop residues
230-foot tower, making the massive machineand  various organic stocks as its fuel base.
stand some 365 feet tall, but its impact on
the community and the state of Minnesota goesThe United States as a whole is second only
far greater than that. The generator hasto Germany in total production of
become a major tourist and field tripwind-generated electricity, with California,
destination in central Minnesota, and hasTexas,  and  Minnesota  leading  the  way.
helped raise the awareness of thousands of
people, especially school children, since itsCopyright © Jeanette J. Fisher. Publish
construction  in  2005.with live links only.



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