Responsible Energy Development
A New Trend in Colorado Wind
Twenty-three miles south of Lamar, CO is the state's newest and largest wind farm, Colorado Green. The 108 turbines generate 162 megawatts of clean energy and provide enough electricity for nearly 50,000 homes along the Front Range. The real story, however, is what Colorado Green did for Prowers County, and why local farmers and businesses now want to develop their own wind farms.
Colorado Green has been a boon to a county stricken with years of drought and a depressed farm economy. The addition of the wind farm created 10-15 permanent jobs, boosted the morale of the community, and will increase the county tax base by nearly $2 million a year. Also, landowners who lease their land for the turbines can collect an estimated $2000-4,000 in royalties and fees per turbine per year.
The success of Colorado Green and its impact on the local community has inspired farmers and ranchers to start their own commercial projects—a venture that could bring new jobs and revenue to rural areas needing an economic boost. Landowners from Lamar and Springfield have begun measuring their wind resources and working with consultants to help them design their projects. The next step is figuring out how to get their wind-generated electricity to homes and businesses.
Green Power Marketing Director Susan Innis, Boulder Community Hospital’s Kai Abelkis, and hospital consultant Mona Newton are investigating ways to do just that. Dubbed "Project Quixote," the effort will develop a new way for Coloradans to support wind farms—by actually owning the turbines and selling power to a local utility (like Xcel Energy). “By developing a new community-owned wind farm, we're hoping to forge partnerships between farmers and ranchers in the windy Eastern Plains and environmentally conscious businesses along the Front Range,” said Susan Innis. “The result will be financially sound win-win collaborations benefiting all of Colorado.”