Overview
Big Blue is an operational onshore wind farm in Minnesota, United States, with a capacity of 36 MW. It is owned by Big Blue Wind Farm LLC and contributes to the state's renewable energy portfolio.
Big Blue is an onshore wind farm located in Minnesota, United States. With a capacity of 36 MW, it falls within the small-to-medium scale for wind energy projects in the country. The facility is owned by Big Blue Wind Farm LLC and is currently operational, supplying clean electricity to the grid. The wind farm utilizes modern wind turbine technology to convert wind energy into electricity. Minnesota has a strong Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requiring 25% renewable energy by 2025, and Big Blue helps meet that target. The facility operates under federal incentives provided by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which supports wind energy development through tax credits. Environmentally, Big Blue contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by displacing fossil fuel generation. Its location in rural Minnesota takes advantage of consistent wind resources while minimizing land-use conflicts. The project supports local energy independence and provides economic benefits through land lease payments and job creation.
Environmental context
Onshore wind farms like Big Blue can have visual impacts on the landscape and may affect bird and bat populations through collisions. However, proper siting and mitigation measures help reduce these risks. The facility's location in agricultural Minnesota minimizes habitat fragmentation, and its operation displaces carbon emissions from fossil fuel plants, contributing to climate change mitigation.
Frequently asked questions
Big Blue wind farm is located in Minnesota, United States, at coordinates 43.6122° N, -94.1919° W.
Big Blue has a capacity of 36 megawatts (MW), making it a small-to-medium scale onshore wind farm.
Big Blue is owned by Big Blue Wind Farm LLC (MN), a company based in Minnesota.
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides production tax credits (PTC) and investment tax credits (ITC) for wind energy projects, reducing costs and encouraging development. Big Blue benefits from these federal incentives.
Minnesota's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requires that 25% of the state's electricity come from renewable sources by 2025. Wind farms like Big Blue help achieve this goal.