South Dakota’s Untapped Wind Energy Higher Than Iowa

When it comes to those giant wind turbines many people in the great plains states are of the same opinion; they don’t want their home values and views to be diminished. That said, they keep populating the open ranges of the prairie.

Wind energy has been a part of our lives for centuries. Thanks to Daniel Halladay and John Burnham, settlers could pump water out of the ground. Remember seeing one of their creations below?

The first wind farms were built in 1980 one in California and one in New Hampshire.

Get our free mobile app

There are over two dozen wind farms in South Dakota. Many are off the beaten path that most of us never see when traveling across the state. One of the largest, the Crocker Wind Farm in Clark County has 120 turbines. And, one of the smallest farms is  South Dakota Wind Partners Wind Project in Jerauld County has only seven. The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission lists South Dakota has more than 2,895 MW of wind energy installed.

South Dakota ranks #9 of states with the most untapped wind energy potential just behind Nebraska (8) and ahead of North Dakota (9) Iowa (15), and Minnesota (20).

However, Texas is leading the country in wind energy, with Iowa right behind. The wind is the primary energy source of in-state electricity generation after overtaking coal in 2019. Today, wind power makes up more than 10% of U.S. electricity generating capacity.

Remarkably, in May of this year, Iowa received 73.2% of its electricity from the wind.

South Dakota wasn't far behind states using wind power to bake brownies. The Rushmore State generated 47.9% of its clean energy electricity from the wind.

TRENDING FROM RESULTS-TOWNSQUARE MEDIA SIOUX FALLS:

• What Are These Strange Stones Doing in Iowa Fields?
• The 10 Best Towns to Buy a Home in South Dakota Right Now
• Guess The South Dakota Town Named 'Worst To Visit' In US
• The Five Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in Sioux Falls