99 MW Radiance Wind Farm, North Dakota
The proposed 99 MW Radiance wind farm would be located on farm and pasture land in Burleigh County, about 22 miles northeast of Bismarck, near Baldwin, North Dakota. We are currently working on site development and project engineering activities. A photo of the project site is shown here.
The Radiance wind farm would provide the average energy supply for about 61,000 homes in North Dakota.
Environmental Benefits. The renewable energy produced by wind power is clean and non-polluting (i.e., no emissions). As compared with the energy produced by a coal-fired power plant, the environmental attributes and air emissions savings benefits of this 99 MW wind project are estimated as follows:
● reduces equivalent coal consumption and mining of 50,000 tons per year
● equivalent avoided emission of 708,000,000 lbs of CO2 per year, which reduces the impacts of global warming and climate change
● reduced water pollution/consumption of 180,000,000 gallons per year
● equivalent reduced natural gas consumption of 1.2 billion cubic feet per year
● reduces dependence on imported oil, saving the consumption of 215,000 barrels per year
● equivalent to planting about 28,000,000 trees (or a 120,000 acre forest), because trees naturally absorb CO2
The emissions and pollution SAVED (or prevented) during the Radiance wind project’s life of 20 years—over 14 billion pounds of NOx, SOx, PM, and CO2—would cover roughly 4,100 square miles of land one foot deep! Wow!
Ahhh, breathe the clean, natural air from the Radiance wind farm…
Social and Economic Benefits. Wind power is a renewable energy resource that would lessen the region's dependence on fossil fuels. The “fuel” for this energy resource—the wind—is natural, abundant, and free, which would reduce the impact of fossil fuel price volatility on local utilities and their customers. In addition, wind power integrates efficiently with the operation of the hydropower resources in the region.
This Project would be a boost to North Dakota’s economy through local construction jobs and expenditures on materials, tools, supplies, and equipment purchases, as well as through the creation of long-term employment. The local economic benefits (direct and indirect) from this wind project over 20 years is estimated to be roughly $230 million, including property taxes, payroll from high-skilled jobs, land owner/farmer land leases, sales taxes, business taxes, various services purchased from local retailers, etc. (both during initial construction, plus continuing services for operation and maintenance).
Health Savings. Further, the hidden economic burdens placed on society from air pollution created by coal and gas-fired power generation is huge—the costs to “medicate” and “repair” our society, based upon the various air pollution values over 20 years mentioned above, is roughly estimated at $360 million, which comprises health care and disease costs, plus damage to crops, property, climate, etc., as well as, impacts to public services. Therefore, the clean, renewable power from this wind farm would save our society roughly $360 million over 20 years in health and societal costs.
For more information about the environmental, health, and economic benefits of wind power, please visit our Health Benefits of Wind Power page.
All values contained herein are preliminary and approximate.
April 2009
