Tribes Harness South Dakota Wind Energy
The Rosebud (S.D.) Sioux turbine sits atop a 170 ft. tubular tower with three blades that have a diameter of 150 feet. Tribal leaders hope it will be the first phase of an intertribal wind development project that will help give communities a source of power and employment for years to come.
Formally dedicated in early May, the turbine will use South Dakota wind to generate clean, renewable electricity to power about 220 homes while reducing emissions by more than 50,000 tons of carbon dioxide over its operating life. The turbine will accomplish this by replacing coal generated power on the most intensely coal fired electricity grid in the country.
It is the second Native American owned and operated utility scale wind turbine built in association with Vermont based NativeEnergy.
The turbine was funded in part by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream, Vermont Businesses for Businesses for Social Responsibility, the Timberland Company, and Stonyfield.
Participating organizations offset their carbon emissions through the purchase of renewable energy credits from NativeEnergy. These purchases helped pay the Rosebud turbine’s upfront capital costs. The credits are donated to Clean Air Cool Planet, a New Hampshire based non profit organization working for practical solutions to climate change.
Provided by theEnvironmental News Service.