On a recent flight to San Diego, I stumbled upon an article in the American Way magazine titled “The Wind Beneath the Power.” It tells the story of tiny Rock Port, Missouri’s $10 million investment in wind power. The town of Rock Port, with the help of John Deere Wind Energy and Wind Capital Management, was able to develop a five-megawatt facility – capable to power the entire community, making it the nation’s first energy-independent municipality!
Here’s a quote from the Atchison County Development Corporation press release:
Rock Port’s 100% wind power status is due to four wind turbines located on agricultural lands within the city limits of Rock Port. The city of Rock Port uses approximately 13 million kilowatt hours of electricity each year. It is predicted that these four turbines will produce 16 million kilowatt hours each year. Excess wind generated electricity not used by Rock Port homes and businesses will move onto the transmission lines to be purchased by the Missouri Joint Municipal Utilities for use in other areas. This makes Rock Port, Missouri the first community in America capable of meeting its entire annual electricity demands from wind power! (Source: Atchison County Development Corporation Press Release)
NPR has done a story on Rock Port’s wind power. Click on this link to access that story.
Post by Dan Dunlop, Brand Expeditions
