The now operational wind farm is among five wind projects across seven counties in the state. Collectively, the projects provide Iowa customers and communities with new renewable energy and are expected to provide power to approximately 430,000 Iowa homes.

“By continuing to advance cost-effective and clean energy, our customers, the communities we serve and the environment will benefit for decades to come,” said Terry Kouba, president of Alliant Energy’s Iowa energy company. “Investing in renewable energy sources, like wind and solar, is one more way that our purpose — to serve customers and build strong communities — comes to life.”

Completing the Richland Wind project expands the company’s total of owned and operated wind generation in the state to nearly 1,300 total MW. This investment in wind energy for Iowa customers generates significant financial benefits through tax revenue for communities and lease payments to landowners.

“Thank you to the many leaders throughout the state who have helped us deliver more renewable energy to our customers,” Kouba said. “With wind, because there are no associated fuel costs, our investment in this renewable, natural resource provides long-term savings for our customers. At the same time, we’ll continue delivering safe, reliable and affordable energy to the communities we serve.”

Alliant Energy began construction on the Richland Wind Farm in July 2019 and is now the third-largest utility owner-operator of regulated wind in the United States. The company reached a milestone over a two-day period in March 2020 when it generated enough renewable wind energy to meet all its Iowa customers’ energy needs from its wind farms and wind purchase power agreements.

Alliant Energy’s wind projects keep the company on its path toward achieving their new goal of eliminating CO₂ emissions from the energy the company generates by 2050, a goal that’s outlined in the company’s latest Corporate Responsibility Report.

News item from Alliant Energy

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Located in Winnebago and Kossuth counties in north-central Iowa, Golden Plains injected millions of dollars into the economy and employed hundreds of workers at the peak of construction. With Golden Plains, EDF Renewables has developed or placed in service 1.4 GW of wind energy capacity in the state.

“We are pleased to partner with Alliant Energy to deliver competitively-priced, clean energy to its customers through the Golden Plains Wind Project,” said Kate O’Hair, VP of development, North Region at EDF Renewables. “The Project provides an economic boost to the Iowa economy, through new construction and operations jobs, expanded tax base, and recurring, long-term income for participating landowners.”

Golden Plains Wind Project is part of Alliant Energy’s Iowa energy company plan to reach 1,299 MW of wind generation to Iowa by the end of 2020. Its 82 GE wind turbines will generate enough clean energy to power 73,000 average homes a year.

“Wind energy is a win for Iowans,” said Terry Kouba, president of Alliant Energy’s Iowa energy company. “This project benefits customers and the environment through reductions in emissions and fuel costs. It also gives landowners lease payments, and it helps communities through increased local tax revenue for schools and community services.”

News item from EDF Renewables

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The Envision framework evaluates project sustainability across five categories – quality of life, leadership, resource allocation, natural world, and climate and resilience – to drive positive social, economic and environmental impacts.

The Upland Prairie and English Farms wind energy projects were recently evaluated by the Institute using a framework called Envision to measure the projects across economic, social, and environmental indicators. Envision is used by owners to promote informed choices about sustainability and resilience in each phase of an infrastructure project.

The Upland Prairie and English Farms projects have a total of 190 turbines with a combined capacity of 470 MW, enough to meet the yearly power needs of approximately 168,000 average Iowa homes.

In its evaluation, the Institute said the projects went “above and beyond” in terms of their community, quality of life, planning, management, materials, energy, emissions and water indicators.

Notable was the selection of high-performance and low-noise turbines that served to reduce the number of turbines required per project and minimize disturbances to nearby communities and the surrounding environment. The benefits extend to farmers who earn income by leasing land to the projects and to the local counties and schools via increased property taxes due to the improved land.

These and other elements, including road improvements and locally appropriate landscaping, helped the projects earn Envision Platinum awards. Black & Veatch led the Envision application strategy and coordinated the efforts of the various project participants. Upland Prairie and English Farms are also the only wind energy projects to date that have achieved Platinum status.

For each project, Black & Veatch served as the owner’s engineer, White Construction as the contractor, General Electric as the turbine supplier, and OPN Architects as the operations center designer.

“The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure provides an uncompromising, independent review and verification of a project’s impacts,” said Matt Barbian, who served as the project manager for Black & Veatch. “Using Envision helped Alliant Energy develop truly sustainable assets with measurable economic, community and environmental benefits.”

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