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Wind power in Montana

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Judith Gap

Wind power in Montana is a growing industry. Montana had over 695 MW of wind generation capability by 2016, responsible for 7.6% of in-state electricity generation.[1]

History

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Wind turbines in the foreground with the Pryor Mountains in the background.
Pryor Mountain Wind Farm
Six turbines of the Two Dot Wind Farm in the mid-ground, with rolled bales of hay in the foreground and a ridgeline in the background.
Two Dot Wind Farm

At a nameplate capacity of 210 megawatts (MW),[2][3] the $500 million[4][5] Glacier Wind Farm, which is located in Toole and Glacier counties,[2] became Montana's largest in October 2009,[4] surpassing the 135 MW Judith Gap Wind Farm in Wheatland County.[4]

Rim Rock Wind Farm, brought online in September 2012, is located about 25 miles due north of the Glacier project. The wind farm has 126 wind turbines of 1.5 megawatts each, to be supplied by Acciona.[6] The project had been delayed due to issues with the Montana-Alberta Tie Line, which connects wind farms in the area to Lethbridge, Alberta.[2][7][8] Montana added two significant wind projects in 2012. The Gordon Butte Wind Farm, 9 MW, was completed early in the year and the Rim Rock Wind Project, 189 MW, was completed in September.

Installed capacity growth

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Montana Wind Generation Capacity by Year Montana Wind Generation by Year
Megawatts of Wind Capacity[9][10][11][12] Thousand megawatt-hours of Wind Generation[13][14][15]

Wind Farms

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Turbines of the Gordon Butte Wind Farm sit atop the plateau, as seen from the east, with brown rolling prairie in the foreground.
Gordon Butte Wind Farm
See also: List of power stations in Montana § Wind

Glacier Wind Farm became Montana's largest wind farm with completion of the first 106.5 MW stage in late 2008, then nearly doubled in size to a 210 MW capacity when joined by the second stage in 2009.[16] Numerous smaller farms were constructed during the following decade. Glacier was surpassed by the 240 MW Pryor Mountain Wind Project upon its completion in late 2020.[17]

Wind generation

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Montana Wind Generation (GWh, Million kWh)
Year Total Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2006 434 47 48 32 38 34 29 25 24 34 21 46 56
2007 496 72 44 53 36 35 24 19 28 35 47 37 66
2008 594 69 67 56 46 45 37 29 36 27 52 62 68
2009 819 107 58 81 77 64 40 36 20 49 75 130 82
2010 930 81 55 92 104 85 69 62 60 60 81 101 80
2011 1,263 150 108 84 112 102 84 76 59 73 113 138 164
2012 1,263 163 87 130 94 98 110 57 58 54 121 127 164
2013 1,755 206 189 140 164 132 110 88 57 85 127 197 259
2014 1,973 259 172 174 188 98 126 100 101 108 202 237 208
2015 2,174 258 167 238 147 101 82 132 117 141 166 209 207
2016 2,139 197 263 223 162 140 150 125 113 168 150 205 243
2017 2,155 200 195 206 204 195 147 122 132 137 208 198 211
2018 2,153 178 169 214 216 161 179 141 148 149 177 211 210
2019 2,373 221 192 191 212 189 177 171 161 209 219 211 220
2020 2,992 273 286 234 265 215 233 164 161 220 257 371 313
2021 2,823 286 212 275 236 197 193 138 186 222 241 350 287
2022 4,035 472 411 390 345 317 234 185 188 210 289 526 468
2023 1,399 457 573 369

  Teal background indicates the largest wind generation month for the year.

  Green background indicates the largest wind generation month to date.

Source:[18]

See also

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References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wind power in Montana.
  1. ^ "Montana Wind Energy" (PDF). U.S. Wind Energy State Facts. American Wind Energy Association. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "NaturEner plans another massive wind farm in Glacier, Toole counties in Montana". San Francisco Examiner. 2009-09-15.
  3. ^ "U.S. Wind Energy Projects - Montana". American Wind Energy Association. 2009-12-31. Archived from the original on November 18, 2008. Retrieved 2010-03-27.
  4. ^ a b c "210-Megawatt Glacier Wind Farm Becomes State's Largest" (PDF). Great Falls Tribune. 2009-10-22. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-11-04. Retrieved 2010-03-27.
  5. ^ "NaturEner shows off $500 million Glacier Wind farm". Cut Bank Pioneer Press. Retrieved 2014-01-11.
  6. ^ Acciona gets contract for nacelles
  7. ^ "NatureEner Wind Farm project a go; construction underway". Cut Bank Pioneer Press. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  8. ^ Rim Rock Wind Farm near Cut Bank hosts welcoming ceremony
  9. ^ Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (2010-03-05). "U.S. Installed Wind Capacity and Wind Project Locations". United States Department of Energy. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
  10. ^ Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (2010-02-04). "Installed Wind Capacity by State". United States Department of Energy. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
  11. ^ Wind Energy in Montana
  12. ^ WINDExchange: U.S. Installed and Potential Wind Power Capacity and Generation
  13. ^ "AWEA 4th quarter 2012 Public Market Report" (PDF). American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). January 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  14. ^ "Electricity Data Browser". U.S. Energy Information Administration, Department Of Energy. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  15. ^ Wind Energy in Montana
  16. ^ LeAnne Kavanagh (October 28, 2009). "Glacier Wind Farm is state's biggest wind energy project". Shelby Promoter.
  17. ^ Tom Lutey (2020-08-07). "Bridger wind farm could be finished by end of year". Billings Gazette.
  18. ^ EIA (January 23, 2013). "Electric Power Monthly". United States Department of Energy. Retrieved 2013-02-25.
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