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Blades arrive for Gevo wind energy project

Lead Summary
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By
Mavis Fodness

The last of six wind turbine blades were escorted through Luverne Dec. 23 on their way to the Rock County Wind Fuel project west of town.
The blades, 180 feet in length, were transported by a semitrailer with special blade holding apparatus to the site 2 1/2 miles west of Luverne on County Road 4.
The wind fuel project is a joint effort between Gevo Inc. and Juhl Energy Development of Chanhassen.
Construction of the two 2.4-megawatt wind turbines is intended to lower Gevo’s reliance on coal-generated electricity at its existing ethanol-isobutanol production plant west of Luverne. Gevo also manufactures jet fuel and isooctane from corn.
Currently Gevo spends $1.8 million annually purchasing electricity made from carbon sources.
Once operational, the two wind turbines will provide electricity directly to the Luverne plant and will meet its current electrical needs.
Since the project was granted a conditional use permit in September, the underground electrical collection system, access roads, excavation and construction of the two turbine foundations has been completed.
The assembly of the towers, nacelles and blades are expected to take place next month.
The turbines will be 450 feet tall from blade tip to the ground.
If construction conditions are favorable, the turbines could be operational in March 2020.
“Depending on weather conditions and wind during the crane work, those dates may move,” said Mike Powers with Juhl Energy.
The Rock County Wind Fuel project is the first wind production project permitted under the county’s updated Renewable Energy Ordinance adopted in 2018.
The new ordinance outlined permit conditions for wind farms producing less than 5 megawatts of electricity. Wind production farms with output greater than 5 megawatts are permitted through the state.
Once operational, the Gevo plant in Luverne will have the lowest carbon intensity rating in the U.S.
CI ratings are based on how the fuel is made and how much carbon is used in the generation of the fuel.

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