Massive blades whoosh through the southwestern Minnesota air as a wind turbine churns out electricity on Buffalo Ridge. There are 39 wind turbines at the Stoneray Wind Project, each about 280 feet high.
They stand on the expanse of rolling grassland almost 2,000 feet above sea level which runs 60 miles through Lincoln, Pipestone, Murray, Nobles and Rock counties in the region.
The combination of altitude and high average wind speeds makes Buffalo Ridge an ideal place to capture wind energy.
One of 39 wind turbines at the Stoneray Wind Project on Jan. 11 in rural Woodstock.
Jackson Forderer for MPR News
Yet while the turbines at Stoneray may be turning smoothly, Adam Sokolski says when it comes to getting the power onto the transmission lines to the regional grid, things are kind of jammed. He is director of regulatory and legislative affairs at EDF Renewables North America which runs Stoneray and several other green energy facilities.
