Ainsworth - In 2005, 36, tall, white wind turbines were constructed across the rolling Sandhills approximately six miles south of Ainsworth. The 131-foot blades topping the 230-foot towers capture the wind and convert it into 60 megawatts of power or enough energy to supply an average of 19,000 homes per year. Owned and operated by the Nebraska Public Power District, the state's largest wind-generating facility provides power to NPPD's customers, as well as the Omaha Public Power District, the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska, Grand Island Utilities, and JEA of Jacksonville, Fla. Read More >>

Elkhorn Ridge -- The 80-megawatt Elkhorn Ridge Farm will be constructed 5 miles north of the City of Bloomfield in Knox County, Neb. The project consists of 27 Vestas V90 wind turbines each capable of generating 3 megawatts of electricity. When completed by the end of 2008 the project will produce enough clean, renewable energy to serve approximately 25,000 Nebraska residences.

The project was developed by Midwest Wind Energy, LLC. Elkhorn Ridge is structured as a Community-Based Energy Development (C-BED) and will be owned and operated by Edison Mission Group, with 33 percent ownership belonging to Nebraska residents.

The project will cost $140 million, will generation more than $5.7 million in personal property taxes over five years, and will pay more than $325,000 annually in lease payments to landowners.

Nearly $20 million will be invested in Nebraska for material and services needed to construct the project. More than 100 full-time construction jobs will be created during the eight-month construction period along with six permanent jobs to operate and maintain the facility.

Crofton Hills -- The 42-megawatt Crofton Hills Wind Farm will be constructed in Knox County outside the community of Crofton, Neb. The project consists of 14 Vestas V90 wind turbines, each capable of generating 3 megawatts of electricity. When completed by the end of 2009, the project will provide enough renewable energy to power approximately 13,000 homes per year.

The project will cost approximately $69 million, will generate more than $3.2 million in personal property taxes to local governments over five years, and is projected to generate over $300,000 in annual revenue to land leases and revenues to project owners.

During the construction period approximately 50 individuals will be performing work, with the facility expected to have four permanent employees, when operational.