Re: Solar power

["William J. Larson" <Bill_Larson@compuserve.com>]

Message text written by INTERNET:phys-l@atlantis.uwf.edu
> Twenty miles east of my South Dakota institution lie some extensive wind=
 =

farms barely in the state of Minnesota.  Perhaps a Minnesota reader can =

correct me on the details; but I believe that state law there has require=
d
a =

certain percentage of electrical output to be derived from wind sources. =

 This has led to some legal battles over wind rights on certain lands eas=
t =

of here.  So at least at some state levels there is still some =

encouraglement by mandate to develope these sources. Joel
<
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I asked my friend in the Minnesota State Capital.  Her reply.
Bill Larson , Geneva

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> Marcia, =

> I read this on the net.  True?
> Bill

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Bill:

Hope the following answers your question -- I know very little about =

this subject, but got the following info from the Senate counsel who =

handles this area.

When the legislature granted NSP authority to bury a limited amount =

of nuclear waste from energy production at Prairie Island (int he =

1995-96 session, I believe), the enabling legislation also required =

that NSP develop the capacity to produce 400 megawatts of =

wind-powered electricty (out of a total state electric capacity of =

7,000 megawatts).  They have done this.  During the development =

of this capacity, there were some law suits over wind rights between =

NSP and private wind developers, and/or between private wind =

developers who went about buying up wind rights from private =

landowners, themselves, and/or between developers and land-owners.  =

There also was a dispute regarding whether the language requiring the =

generation also required the wind plants to be in Minnesota.  =

Counsel thinks all the legal suits have been settled and that when =

the wind is right, a portion of the electricity produced my NSP is =

wind-generated.  He does not think, however, there were or are any =

legal suits regarding Minn/Dakota air rights. =