Wind Energy Generation in Nebraska

According to the American Wind Energy Association, Nebraska is ranked sixth in the nation with the greatest energy potential from wind power.  In 2009, nearly 400 million kilowatthours were generated by utility-scale wind energy in Nebraska (see graph and table).  Without the addition of Elkhorn Ridge, generation for the year would have been relatively the same as generation for 2007 and 2008.  Nebraska has 73 operational wind turbines with a total capacity of 152.88 megawatts (or 152,880 kilowatts for comparison purposes).  The average annual output could power about 46,500 homes.  The turbines are located on five sites:

  The 27–turbine Elkhorn Ridge wind farm at Bloomfield began commercial operation on March 1, 2009.  Each turbine has a maximum capacity of 3 megawatts for a total of 81 megawatts.  The farm could produce an amount of energy equivalent to the amount of electricity used by approximately 25,000 Nebraska residences in a year (average annual output).  The Nebraska utilities that will buy electricity from Elkhorn Ridge through Nebraska Public Power District include:  Omaha Public Power District, 25 megawatts; Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska, 8 megawatts; Lincoln Electric System, 6 megawatts; and the city of Grand Island, 1 megawatt.

  With the addition of the Ainsworth wind farm, Nebraska's wind energy generation more than doubled in 2005 from 2004 and nearly tripled in 2006 from 2005.  The 36–turbine wind farm near Ainsworth began commercial operation on October 1, 2005.  Each turbine has a maximum capacity of 1,650 kilowatts for a total of 59,400 kilowatts.  The average annual output could power 19,000 homes.  The five participants in the wind farm are:  Nebraska Public Power District (32 megawatts), Omaha Public Power District (10 megawatts), Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska (7 megawatts), Grand Island Utilities (1 megawatt), and the Jacksonville Electric Authority (10 megawatts), based in Florida.  The Jacksonville utility will not receive power but will receive renewable energy credits for its participation in this project.

  Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska (MEAN) installed seven turbines on a farm located near Kimball.  The wind farm began operation in October 2002.  With the addition of the Kimball wind farm, Nebraska's wind energy generation more than doubled in 2002 from 2001 and again more than doubled in 2003 from 2002.  Maximum capacity of the Kimball wind farm is 10,500 kilowatts, and the average annual output could power 2,000 homes.

  Omaha Public Power District and Valmont Industries installed one turbine by Valley which began operation on December 21, 2001.  The maximum capacity of the Valley turbine is 660 kilowatts, and the average annual output could power 150 homes.

  Lincoln Electric System installed two turbines in an area called Salt Valley located north of Lincoln; the first turbine began operation on December 17, 1998, and the second turbine began operation on October 27, 1999.  The maximum capacity of the Salt Valley turbines is 1,320 kilowatts, and the average annual output could power 350 homes.

Energy generated by wind power is estimated to be less than one percent of Nebraska's energy consumption in 2007 and less than one percent of the electricity generated in 2007.  (The year 2007 is the most recent year that data is provided for consumption.)

For more information, see the Generating Units report, the Units and Capacity by Energy Source and Year of Initial Operation report, and the Units and Capacity by Energy Source report.

Under Construction

  The 14–turbine Crofton Hills wind farm south of Crofton will begin commercial operation in 2009.  Each turbine has a maximum capacity of 3 megawatts for a total of 42 megawatts.  The farm is expected to produce an amount of energy equivalent to the amount of electricity used by approximately 13,000 Nebraska residences in a year (average annual output).

Decommissioned

  Nebraska Public Power District installed two turbines near Springview and began operation in October 1998.  (The numbers in the table below for December 1998 are totals for October, November, and December.)  The Springview turbines were released for full power operation in late January 1999.  Maximum capacity was 1,500 kilowatts, and the average annual output could power 380 homes.  The six co-owners were:  City of Auburn (2 percent), City of Grand Island (2 percent), KBR Rural Public Power District (1 percent), Lincoln Electric System (29 percent), the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska (5 percent), and Nebraska Public Power District (61 percent).  KBR Rural Public Power District operated the turbines.  Although there is a possibility of more turbines on the site in the future, the Springview wind turbines were decommissioned, and the last generation data was reported for August, 2007.

Wind Energy Generation in Nebraska, 1998 - 2010

Turbines

Capacity
(kW)

Jan
(kWh)

Feb
(kWh)

Mar
(kWh)

Apr
(kWh)

May
(kWh)

Jun
(kWh)

Jul
(kWh)

Aug
(kWh)

Sep
(kWh)

Oct
(kWh)

Nov
(kWh)

Dec
(kWh)

Annual
Total
(kWh)

Turbines

Capacity
(kW)

Jan
(kWh)

Feb
(kWh)

Mar
(kWh)

Apr
(kWh)

May
(kWh)

Jun
(kWh)

Jul
(kWh)

Aug
(kWh)

Sep
(kWh)

Oct
(kWh)

Nov
(kWh)

Dec
(kWh)

Annual
Total
(kWh)

Turbines

Capacity
(kW)

Jan
(kWh)

Feb
(kWh)

Mar
(kWh)

Apr
(kWh)

May
(kWh)

Jun
(kWh)

Jul
(kWh)

Aug
(kWh)

Sep
(kWh)

Oct
(kWh)

Nov
(kWh)

Dec
(kWh)

Annual
Total
(kWh)

Turbines

Capacity
(kW)

Jan
(kWh)

Feb
(kWh)

Mar
(kWh)

Apr
(kWh)

May
(kWh)

Jun
(kWh)

Jul
(kWh)

Aug
(kWh)

Sep
(kWh)

Oct
(kWh)

Nov
(kWh)

Dec
(kWh)

Annual
Total
(kWh)

Turbines

Capacity
(kW)

Jan
(kWh)

Feb
(kWh)

Mar
(kWh)

Apr
(kWh)

May
(kWh)

Jun
(kWh)

Jul
(kWh)

Aug
(kWh)

Sep
(kWh)

Oct
(kWh)

Nov
(kWh)

Dec
(kWh)

Annual
Total
(kWh)

Turbines

Capacity
(kW)

Jan
(kWh)

Feb
(kWh)

Mar
(kWh)

Apr
(kWh)

May
(kWh)

Jun
(kWh)

Jul
(kWh)

Aug
(kWh)

Sep
(kWh)

Oct
(kWh)

Nov
(kWh)

Dec
(kWh)

Annual
Total
(kWh)

Turbines

Capacity
(kW)

Jan
(kWh)

Feb
(kWh)

Mar
(kWh)

Apr
(kWh)

May
(kWh)

Jun
(kWh)

Jul
(kWh)

Aug
(kWh)

Sep
(kWh)

Oct
(kWh)

Nov
(kWh)

Dec
(kWh)

Annual
Total
(kWh)

Turbines

Capacity
(kW)

Jan
(kWh)

Feb
(kWh)

Mar
(kWh)

Apr
(kWh)

May
(kWh)

Jun
(kWh)

Jul
(kWh)

Aug
(kWh)

Sep
(kWh)

Oct
(kWh)

Nov
(kWh)

Dec
(kWh)

Annual
Total
(kWh)

Turbines

Capacity
(kW)

Jan
(kWh)

Feb
(kWh)

Mar
(kWh)

Apr
(kWh)

May
(kWh)

Jun
(kWh)

Jul
(kWh)

Aug
(kWh)

Sep
(kWh)

Oct
(kWh)

Nov
(kWh)

Dec
(kWh)

Annual
Total
(kWh)

Turbines

Capacity
(kW)

Jan
(kWh)

Feb
(kWh)

Mar
(kWh)

Apr
(kWh)

May
(kWh)

Jun
(kWh)

Jul
(kWh)

Aug
(kWh)

Sep
(kWh)

Oct
(kWh)

Nov
(kWh)

Dec
(kWh)

Annual
Total
(kWh)

Turbines

Capacity
(kW)

Jan
(kWh)

Feb
(kWh)

Mar
(kWh)

Apr
(kWh)

May
(kWh)

Jun
(kWh)

Jul
(kWh)

Aug
(kWh)

Sep
(kWh)

Oct
(kWh)

Nov
(kWh)

Dec
(kWh)

Annual
Total
(kWh)

Turbines

Capacity
(kW)

Jan
(kWh)

Feb
(kWh)

Mar
(kWh)

Apr
(kWh)

May
(kWh)

Jun
(kWh)

Jul
(kWh)

Aug
(kWh)

Sep
(kWh)

Oct
(kWh)

Nov
(kWh)

Dec
(kWh)

Annual
Total
(kWh)

Turbines

Capacity
(kW)

Jan
(kWh)

Feb
(kWh)

Mar
(kWh)

Apr
(kWh)

May
(kWh)

Jun
(kWh)

Jul
(kWh)

Aug
(kWh)

Sep
(kWh)

Oct
(kWh)

Nov
(kWh)

Dec
(kWh)

Annual
Total
(kWh)

Sources:  Lincoln Electric System, Lincoln, NE.  Nebraska Energy Office, Lincoln, NE.  Nebraska Municipal Power Pool, Lincoln, NE.  Nebraska Public Power District, Columbus, NE.  Omaha Public Power District, Omaha, NE.  TVP Stats Bulletin.  U.S. Department of Energy and the Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA, and Washington, DC.  Inventory of Electric Utility Power Plants in the United States.  Energy Information Administration, Washington, DC.

Notes:  Numbers represent net generation.  NA = Not Available.  Totals may not equal the sum of the components due to independent rounding.  Numbers in red have been revised.
¹ Springview's numbers for December 1998 are totals for October, November, and December.
² Salt Valley's turbine 2 became operational in October 1999.  Numbers for both turbines are combined starting with October 1999.
³ Valmont dismantled the Valley wind turbine and tower in October, 2002; it was back on line in June 2003.
⁴ Nebraska Public Power District retired the Springview wind turbines in August 2007.
⁵ The Valley wind turbine was damaged during a storm in July 2008.
⁶ The Valley wind turbine was down for maintenance in July and August 2009.

This table was updated on February 5, 2010.  Typically, there is one month between updates.

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