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Search For Wind | During the late 1980s, Waverly’s energy demand grew at a rate of 4.2% per year, almost twice the national average. Faced with termination of its purchased power contract in 1999 and steady growth in demand, Waverly Light and PowerTM became increasingly concerned about future energy supplies. A study was performed by an independent utility consultant to evaluate options for conserving energy and generating it from renewable sources. The study showed wind to be a viable resource in Iowa. | | In 1993, after receiving grants from the American Public Power Association, Waverly Light and PowerTM erected Skeets 1 and became the first public power system in the Midwest to own and operate wind generation. Skeets 1 was a Zond 80 kW turbine placed on Russell Walther’s farm north of Waverly. Positive response from local consumers, a grant from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the success of the original turbine lead to additional turbines. In 1999 two 750 kW Zond Z-50 wind turbines, Skeets 2 and 3, were placed on the Wencil and Gary Small farms near Alta, Iowa. They are part of the Storm Lake Wind Facility which contains 259 wind turbines. Late in 2001, Skeets 1 was retired and replaced with a 900 kW turbine. The NEG Micon NM52 turbine came on-line December 18th, and produced over 111,000 kWh through January 1, 2002. The production during those 15 days was greater than the previous turbine, ‘Skeets 1,’ produced in an average year. In order to ensure future reliability, two of WLP's wind turbines were sold in November 2005. The selling of these two units allowed Waverly Light and Power to continue researching and investing in turbine and wind renewable upgrades. New land was leased on the David and Jennifer Steinbronn farm, east of Waverly, where more wind turbines are in the process of being constructed. Through the strong leadership of the WLP Board of Trustees, Waverly Light and Power has maintained its position as an industry leader in renewable energy and energy efficiency over the years. In 2006, the Board committed to make renewables the source for 20% of WLP's system energy requirements by the year 2020. This reaffirmed WLP's position at the threshold of energy markets for the next century. New options are currently being pursued in this visionary effort.
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