Let’s power the future together
ALLETE Clean Energy is an independent power producer established in 2011 with headquarters in Duluth, Minnesota. ALLETE Clean Energy, through subsidiaries, owns, operates and has built and sold wind farms in seven states with more than 1,450 megawatts of capacity.
What’s happening
ALLETE Clean Energy is developing the Red Barn wind project for sale to Wisconsin Public Service Corp. and Madison Gas and Electric Co. to advance the companies’ net-zero carbon goals and meet their energy planning needs. Before and during construction, we will host landowner meetings to keep participants apprised of the project’s development schedule, milestones, and projected construction dates.
Landowner participation
Leased land allows the landowner to optimize land use. A small portion of the leased land is needed for siting turbines and development of access roads intended for mutual use. The remaining land continues to be available for landowner use, such as farming or grazing. This dual use provides additional annual income to landowners.
Community support
We value the communities near our project, and we look forward to forging partnerships with landowners and the communities near the Red Barn project. Together with our project construction partners, we expect to donate to local first responders and schools, along with creating a local trade school scholarship for renewable energy or wind technician studies.
Project schedule
Construction will begin in May on the operations and maintenance building, laydown yard, access roads and underground cabling system. Work then shifts to turbine foundations and, finally, turbine erection. We expect project completion in late 2022.
Project features
- 28 turbines, 24 3.4-megawatt, 4 2.5-megawatt
- About 92 megawatts of renewable energy capacity, enough to power about 32,000 homes
- Carbon dioxide offset of about 270,000 tons annually
- Turbines will be erected on foundations of 450 cubic feet of concrete and 40 tons of reinforcing steel
- Supports local businesses before, during and after construction
- Employs 250 people during construction and up to 10 people during operation
Economic benefits
- Wind energy projects bring economic development, job growth and tax revenue to their host communities
- Landowners who host a wind turbine on their property earn regular lease payments that transfer with the sale of the property, adding to its value
- A study of more than 50,000 home sales in nine states found no evidence that wind farms affected nearby home values
Wind turbines and health
More than 80 studies worldwide have been conducted about wind turbine exposure and health, and to date, the credible, scientific peer-reviewed literature does not support evidence of adverse health effects resulting from wind turbine exposure. There are a number of resources available on the American Clean Power Association website at https://cleanpower.org/resources/types/fact-sheets/.
