Wind Capital Group was a wind power developer founded in 2005 by Missouri native Tom Carnahan.
[Wind Capital Group timeline](_blank)
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Developed wind farms
Blue Grass Ridge Wind Farm
On January 31, 2006, Wind Capital Group announced the planned construction of Blue Grass Ridge Wind Farm near King City in Gentry County, Missouri. Construction of the 27 Suzlon
Suzlon Energy Limited (NSE:SUZLONEQ, BSE:532667) is an Indian multinational wind turbine manufacturer based in Pune, India. It was formerly ranked by MAKE as the world's fifth largest wind turbine supplier.Source: MAKE Report: Global Wind Turb ...
wind turbines began in late 2006 and completed in 2007. Financing was provided by John Deere
Deere & Company, doing business as John Deere (), is an American corporation that manufactures agricultural machinery, heavy equipment, forestry machinery, diesel engines, drivetrains (axles, transmissions, gearboxes) used in heavy equipment, ...
. Blue Grass Ridge is the first commercial scale wind farm in Missouri. The wind energy produced is purchased by Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc.[North American Wind Power](_blank)
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Conception Wind Farm
In early 2008 the Conception Wind Farm was completed. Conception is near Conception Junction in Nodaway County, Missouri. Like Blue Grass Ridge before it, Conception was constructed with Suzlon turbines, financed by John Deere, and the power is sold to Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Cow Branch Wind Energy Center
Also in 2008, the Cow Branch Wind Energy Center began operations. Cow Branch is near Tarkio in Atchison County, Missouri. This wind farm was also constructed with Suzlon turbines, financed by John Deere, and sells power to Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Loess Hills Wind Farm
The Loess Hills Wind Farm was completed in the spring of 2008. This wind farm is much smaller than Wind Capital Group's three other operating wind farms in northwest Missouri. Nevertheless, Loess Hills garnered national and international attention because it produces more power for the town of Rock Port than the town and its residents use.[National Public Radio article](_blank)
/ref> Therefore, Rock Port has been called the first 100% wind powered town in America. The Loess Hills Wind Farm has been featured on National Public Radio, CNN, ABC World News Tonight, and the International Herald Tribune.
/ref>[ABC World News Tonight story](_blank)
/ref>[International Herald Tribune article](_blank)
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Lost Creek Ridge Wind Farm
In April 2009, Wind Capital Group announced that the Lost Creek Wind Farm was to be built south of the Blue Grass Ridge Wind Farm in DeKalb County, Missouri. Vice President Joe Biden and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke
Gary Faye Locke (born January 21, 1950) is an American politician and diplomat serving as the interim president of Bellevue College, the largest of the institutions that make up the Washington Community and Technical Colleges system. Locke serv ...
were on hand at the announcement in Jefferson City, Missouri. Lost Creek Ridge will have a 150 megawatt nameplate capacity.[Irish Times article](_blank)
/ref> The project received $107 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) (), nicknamed the Recovery Act, was a stimulus package enacted by the 111th U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama in February 2009. Developed in response to the Gr ...
funds. The project became a campaign issue in the United States Senate election in Missouri, 2010
United may refer to:
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* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
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Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...
when Roy Blunt
Roy Dean Blunt (born January 10, 1950) is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator for Missouri, a seat he was first elected to in 2010. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 33rd Missouri Secr ...
charged that Tom Carnahan through his sister Robin Carnahan
Robin Colleen Carnahan (born August 4, 1961) is an American businesswoman, lawyer, and politician, who previously served as the Missouri Secretary of State and currently serves as the Administrator of General Services in the Biden administra ...
had used family connections to get the funds. The Carnahans deny their family connections played a role in the federal renewable energy grant. Lost Creek was put up for sale in 2014, along with the Post Rock wind farm, and eventually sold to Pattern Energy.
Buffalo Creek Wind Farm
In December 2007 Wind Capital Group announced the sale of the Buffalo Creek Wind Farm near the town of Latimer in Franklin County, Iowa. The construction ready site was purchased by Interstate Power and Light
Alliant Energy is a public utility holding company headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, providing power in Iowa and Wisconsin.
History
Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL) expanded greatly in the late 1920s to include operations in Iowa, ...
, with the first 100 megawatts planned to be constructed by 2010.[Alternative Energy Press article](_blank)
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Bent Tree Wind Farm
In March 2009 Wind Capital Group announced the sale of their second wind farm outside of Missouri. At 400 megawatts, Bent Tree is Wind Capital Group's largest developed wind farm to date. Wisconsin Power and Light Company
Alliant Energy is a public utility holding company headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, providing power in Iowa and Wisconsin.
History
Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL) expanded greatly in the late 1920s to include operations in Iowa, ...
purchased the wind farm and intends to begin construction on the first 200 megawatts in mid-2009.[Finance and Commerce article](_blank)
/ref> Bent Tree is located near Hartland in Freeborn County, Minnesota
Freeborn County is a county in the state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 30,895. Its county seat is Albert Lea. Freeborn County comprises the Albert Lea Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Freeborn Cou ...
.
Post Rock Wind Farm
The Post Rock Wind Farm is a 201 megawatt in Ellsworth and Lincoln
Lincoln most commonly refers to:
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counties of Kansas. Operation in 2012, selling all of its electricity to Westar Energy
Evergy, Inc. is an American investor-owned utility (IOU) with publicly traded stock that has its headquarters in Topeka, Kansas, and in Kansas City, Missouri. The company was formed from a merger of Westar Energy of Topeka and Great Plains En ...
under a 20-year power purchase agreement
A power purchase agreement (PPA), or electricity power agreement, is a contract between two parties, one which generates electricity (the seller) and one which is looking to purchase electricity (the buyer). The PPA defines all of the commercial te ...
. The windfarm was financed by GE Capital
GE Capital is the financial services division of General Electric.
The company currently only runs one division, GE Energy Financial Services. It had provided additional services in the past; however, those units were sold between 2013 and 2018 ...
, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
MetLife, Inc. is the holding corporation for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MLIC), better known as MetLife, and its affiliates. MetLife is among the largest global providers of insurance, annuities, and employee benefit programs, wi ...
, and Union Bank and uses 134 GE turbines. Post Rock was put up for sale in 2014, along with the Lost Creek wind farm, and eventually sold to Pattern Energy.
Partnership
In early 2008 Wind Capital Group formed a partnership with NTR plc
NTR plc is an Irish renewable energy company founded in 1978. Today, NTR is an investor in wind energy, focused on Ireland, France, Sweden and the UK.
NTR previously held stakes in infrastructure interests including Celtic Anglian Water, Greensta ...
. NTR invested $150 million into the company and also committed to supply Wind Capital Group with 150 megawatts of wind turbines. NTR was then the majority owner of the company.[St. Louis Business Journal article](_blank)
/ref> The relationship with NTR ended with Wind Capital selling the Post Rock and Lost Creek wind farms to Pattern Energy in 2015 for $244 million.
Status
In 2014 Wind Capital Group announced that would be winding down development operations as parent NTR focused on Europe.
References
External links
Website
Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc.
{{Wind power in the United States
Wind power companies of the United States
Wind power in Missouri
Organizations established in 2005
2005 establishments in Missouri