Wind Farms in Benton County

[timlange]

Hi, not to take the wind out of your sails, but there are much larger farms in the US. I drove through the one north of Palm Springs, CA, the Gorgonio Pass farm has over 3200 mills in service. They are older and smaller, I think the combined output of the farm is just less than 700Mw. You can see them from Google Earth though. Search Wikipedia for 'wind farms'.

Tim.

[Kevforprez]

what do you guys think about painting them brown, or blue? I think the white looks very 'modern' and they really do add something to an otherwise monotonous landscape. But in other areas, such as on the side of mountains - I would prefer to NOT see them...what do you think?

[domergurl]

I think that white makes them look majestic.

[Coffee Mate]

While there are some issues with wind power there are issues with all power sources.
The key as I understand it is to have more regional decentralized and diversified sources of energy. On the whole the wind-farm idea is a good one. A big step will be off-shore moored wind farms, Geo-thermal electric generating plants and large areas of the South West used for solar. For years these power sources were "dreams" but no longer. Additionally solar technology has improved to a great degree and as oil becomes increasingly expensive, particularly if you add up all the political military and environmental costs.....we all need to seriously make alternative energy production part of our everyday lives on an individual level....why wait for the companies and the governments to act? They won't until it's in THEIR best interest....well in my view alternative energy is in OUR [the consumers] best interest. It takes the power, literally, out of the hands of the "energy" companies and makes it more personal and responsive to the needs of the local communities it is designed to serve. Also...we should make every effort to depoliticize 'alternative energy'. Power is power. The Sun and the Wind are for everyone...regardless of how you might vote....when you do.... Sure wind mills are will change the view and solar collectors will look different but those are things were going to have to live with..... We all want and use lots of electricity and other energies and for generations we've been accustomed to our power coming out of the socket on the wall with little or no mental connection as to where that power came from.....If the events of the last seven years have show us anything they shown us that we can no longer prop up that charade... We have to be aware...cognizant of where our energy comes from....
Every roof top in the U.S. having solar collectors for home use and small farms and ranches having their own wind power plants would go a long way toward reducing our dependence on other energy types.

[missty]

Hi Rugrat,
I came across this site while looking for a camp ground in or near Fowler.
My husband will be working on the Fowler wind Project and we will be staying in our RV. It sounds like you maybe familiar with the area, would you have any info on near by rv parks?
Missty

[rugrat]

hello Misty... there are slim pickin's on RV parks here in Benton county. there are a few hook ups at Earl Park at the park. you would need to call someone at the town hall of Earl park.. that would be the closest, but during Labor day there is a festival there called the "Fall festival" and it draws close to 25,000 people a day.. (quite amazing for a town of 600 people if you ask me) and the campground is always full to the brim.... and also there is a campground south of Pine Village (15-20 miles away). I think it is still called Summer's Campground. It has a lot of locals that have campers there for the summer... also there is a campground over at Remington at the 24/I65 interchange. 30-40 minutes. I do not know the name. Also about 45-50 minutes to the north there is a campground at Roselawn at the St rd 10 and I65 interchange... again I do not know the name.. but if you call directory information and ask for campgrounds in those towns . I am sure that they can give you a phone number... I am not a camper, in fact I feel that "roughing it" is a hotel.. without room service... so I can only tell you about the ones I have notice while driving...sorry I can not be more help.
Also TimLange, I understand that there are farms with more windmills, I am sorry that I did not clarify myself correctly, I am under the impression that we are the largest CONSTRUCTION PROJECT of windmills at this time. with the three phases that are in the works, there are going to be just under 1000, Now there is another company that is looking at Fountian and Western Tippicanoe Counties, at least that is my understanding.... I am not sure on how many that is being talked about for those areas...Maybe some one on this site will chime in and let us know...
thanks...

[missty]

Thank you for the information on the campgrounds. I am very much like you when it comes to camping,would not be found in anything other than an RV with all the comforts of home, which is what it is, we are full time Rv'ers.

My husband is on his way to Fowler and will be checking out the camp grounds before we haul the RV up there.

Thanks again
missty

[mssunny]

Thanks for the pictures! My husband just arrived in Fowler yesterday to work on the project and it was great for me to see pictures of it here. I'm still in Orlando, but I will be moving there soon. I've just posted for help with the move here on this site. Anyway, thanks again for the pictures!

[PUladybug]

mssunny--I am also in Orlando! I graduated six years ago from Purdue and last weekend went to visit a friend of mine in Lafayette for a baby shower. We went out to the wind farm and I thought it was AMAZING! I could have stayed out there all day! I took a billion photos...but one that might be especially amazing is this one where my friend is standing at the bottom of one...it's awesome to see the true size of these giants! She's the little dot at the bottom!!!



I just found this site btw in looking for information on the farm for my aunt and uncle who are visiting Orlando from LaPorte, IN.

[mssunny]

PUladybug, Thanks for that picture. It really does show the amazing mass of the windmill doesn't it? Talked to my husband this morning and he said the windmills were making electricity today...it's windy!!