Project Progress
Wind farm development is a lengthy, complex process. Dakota Wind Energy's wind parks will be developed in phases over the next three to five years. Below documents the current progress of the project. Click on any section to read more.
- Dakota Wind Energy, LLC is Formed and Capitalized
- Initial Feasibility Studies are Complete
- Wind Option Agreements are Announced
- Met Tower Installed
- Intrastate Wind Project Public Offering Announced
- Over 40,000 Acres of Land Signed for the Project
- Intrastate Public Investment Offering Announced
1. Dakota Wind Energy, LLC is Formed and Capitalized
Nine local South Dakota landowners have partnered with National Wind to form and capitalize this project.
2. Initial Feasibility Studies are Complete
- Environmental: A preliminary environmental analysis including preliminary permitting requirements. Three project areas were studied and based upon this analysis, there are no "fatal flaws" that prevent the project from being completed. As the project progresses, additional studies will be conducted to obtain the necessary zoning and permitting approvals to construct the wind farms.
- Wind: National Wind Assessments, the met tower erection and wind assessment firm division of National Wind, have prepared a preliminarly anlaysis using state wind resource maps, topography maps and data collected from available met towers in the vicinity of the project area to estimate the prospective wind speeds and energy production. Meteorological towers will be erected within the project's footprint in order to collect on-site wind data for a extended period of time. Preliminary studies indicate excellent wind speeds.
- Transmission: Excel Engineering evaluated the transmission options for this project and prepared an interconnection strategy. National Wind filed an immediate interconnection request. Furture interconnection requests will be filed.
3. Wind Option Agreements are Announced
- Wind Option Agreement: When landowners sign this agreement, the primary right assigned to Dakota Wind is that of exclusive "wind rights" for a period of five years. During this time, National Wind, as the managing partner, conducts the necessary studies that will be used in the configuration of the final wind farm. Several options are available.
- Wind Turbine Leases: For wind turbines placed on your property, we provide the most competitive turbine lease rates.
4. Met Tower Installed
- Sisseton Township Met Tower: National Wind Assessments installed a met tower in Sisseton Township, Marshall County, on April 17, 2008. The met tower will collect wind data to determine the best wind speeds in the area. This data will then be used in later stages of development to microsite turbine placement. For pictures of the met tower installation, please see the photo gallery.
- View press release here
5. Intrastate Wind Project Public Offering Announced
- Landowners within the wind project area, have an option to own units in Dakota Wind Energy in exchange for their land for the wind farm development. This is what makes Dakota Wind Energy different from other wind developments in the state: we provide community ownership in our project.
- View press release here
6. Over 40,000 acres of Land Leased for the Project
- Dakota Wind Energy now has leased over 40,000 acres of land in connection with development of the state's largest community owned wind farm. This is over half the land needed to develop the project up to 750 MW. A majority of the landowners are choosing to take units in the company in exchange for their wind rights.
- View press release here
7. Intrastate Public Investment Offering Announced
- Dakota Wind Energy's intrastate public investment offering is open all South Dakota residents who meet investor suitability requirements. This allows a large cross-section of the local community to become owners in this development, helping make our country more energy-independent. To register to view a prospectus, please visit: www.delphifinancial.com.
- View press release here