Renewable energy companies targeting sites in Muscatine, Cedar and Scott County for development are looking to lease local land for wind turbines.
“We decided on a project in Muscatine County due to there being reliable wind there,” says Liberty Project developer Olivia Neter.
Liberty is a subsidiary of Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp., which is a Canadian renewable energy and regulated utility conglomerate with projects across North America.
They’re looking to lease around 15,000 acres of land in Muscatine County, enough room for around 45 to 60 turbines that would generate 300 megawatts of energy per year.
“Right now, we’re looking at 6 megawatt turbines,” she explains. The turbines they’re proposing are around 656 feet in height to the tip of the blade; however, size is subject to change.
If you think that seems taller than a typical turbine, you’re right. Turbine technology has progressed to the point that they can be built bigger, reaching higher altitudes.
“Hence why there is a lot more development going on the eastern side,” Neter says of Iowa. “The higher you go the higher the wind speed.”
Liberty isn’t just limiting the turbine project to Muscatine County. They have plans for a 300-megawatt project in Scott County and a 150-megawatt project in Cedar County.
They’re not alone.
Triple Oak Power, out of Portland, Org., has proposed a wind farm that stretches approximately 20,000 acres across all three of the Iowan counties.
“We’re definitely still trying to get to know community members, but we’re excited to be here because we really think this will benefit communities,” Jesse Bermel said back in July.
Triple Oaks’ Director of Business Development was addressing two dozen community members in the Durant Community Center. Now Triple Oak representatives are reportedly going door-to-door to secure land.
Triple Oak Power estimates it will take between four to seven years of project development before any actual construction, meaning construction could start as early as 2027.
Liberty proposes a similar timeline; they’d like to finish land acquisition in 2024 and begin construction in 2027 with the goal of all turbines becoming operational by 2028/29.
According to the American Clean Power Association, Iowa leads the nation in wind energy generation, with wind energy producing 58.7 percent of all electricity in the state.
According to its website, “These projects provide a secure, local source of energy, save water, and reduce residents’ exposure to harmful pollutants like nitrous oxides and sulfur dioxide.”
Also stated: “In addition to these benefits, wind energy also brings considerable economic growth to the states and localities that host projects.”
As of 2022, Iowa has over 12,200 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity with over 6,000 wind turbines. Many of those turbines are in north and west Iowa.
However, several landowners in the proposed project areas of Muscatine County have concerns about the installation of wind turbines on the east side of Iowa.
Those concerns range from the environmental and economic impact of turbines, the stringent terms for leasing land for turbines and the overall viability of the project.
“It’s just hypocritical to me that they call it clean energy when it causes so much disruption to humans and the environment,” says Rhonda Staley Meredith.
Meredith’s family owns several hundred acres of farmland west of Nichols. She’s concerned about the turbine’s potential impact on the environment in Muscatine County, from the wind and animals to the soil below.
She’s also concerned about the decommissioning process. Even if a turbine is completely removed, what about all the cement from the base? Will it be left behind?
“To scare our land with the thousands of pounds of cement and rebar underneath each turbine,” she says, “When they’re decommissioned the landowner is left with that material underground.”
Scott Sauer, chairman of the Muscatine County Board of Supervisors, also shares a similar concern. “The whole thing is a tremendous amount of unknown,” he says.
“My biggest concern on solar fields or wind, either one, is when it comes time to decommission these things and turn this [the land] back into what it was,” he says.
He does state it’s not against the law for energy companies to inquire about potential land acquisition for wind turbines. He also says Muscatine County is aware of what’s going on.
Eric Furnas, the Planning and Zoning administrator for Muscatine County, also states that the county is aware of their presence.
“While we are aware that developers are from time-to-time gauging landowner interest in potential projects in Muscatine County, we have not received an application for a Commercial Wind Energy Conversion project,” he says.
“Our goal is to maintain land use plans and regulations that allow for renewable energy projects (including the rights of landowners to lease their land for these purposes) while also balancing the protection of surrounding property owners, the environment and public infrastructure,” he adds.
Leasing out land for turbine development, as it turns out, is another concern being raised by property owners in Muscatine County.
Wind Energy companies have been canvassing Muscatine, Cedar and Scott County for months trying to gauge interest in a potential wind farm project.
As stated, the goal is to lease the land needed, not buy it. However, the terms to which one agrees to when signing a lease can be daunting.
In the case for Liberty, the company is hoping to lock in landowners into 30-year contracts. Once a lease is signed, Liberty will install the necessary infrastructure, which includes clearing out land to build a large enough cement base to hold the turbine.
“Once landowners are signed, they’re signed,” says Neter for Liberty, “Once you have infrastructure on your land it’s installed, we’re not going to decommission the facility once it’s installed.”
She was unable to disclose how much landowners will receive in return, but she did say that if landowners want out after the end of the lease Liberty will remove the wind turbines.
“Leasing land is for life,” warns J. M. Lahey, who owns 10 acres of land near Nichols. “Anyone who agrees to this will never get out of that lease.”
“We’ve got these big, huge, landowners that don’t even live in this county that want to put these turbines next to our little acreages,” Lahey adds.
Community members are concerned about the noise made by turbines, the flickering caused by the shadows cast by the blades and turbines blowing crop dust where it shouldn’t be.
They’re also concerned about turbine failure.
In February of 2023, a 174-foot blade separated from a 262-foot-tall MidAmerican wind turbine in Webster County, Iowa, falling into a farm field.
In October of 2023, a Vestas turbine in a wind farm located in Adair County, Iowa, caught fire. The fire consumed one of the blades, caused falling debris, and destroyed the turbine.
While there is no data on the total number of turbine failures, it is something that can occur and has occurred, not only in Iowa but the rest of the United States and the world.
Finally, some believe giving up farmland for turbines is detrimental to farming itself. Simply put, all this land being leased out for wind turbines will no longer be farmed.
“The more farmers that choose to do this the more it affects our communities,” says Heather Thompson, whose family owns 80 acres of farmland near Wilton.
“You’re not just making a choice for you, but for everyone else,” she says. “Local farming is important because it feeds our families and others. By leasing land you’re taking food and gas from our community.”
Thompson, along with Rhonda Staley Meredith and J. M. Lahey aren’t against green energy per se. They, along with many other local farmers, just have many concerns about the installation of wind turbines.
“Get an attorney who is well versed in these kinds of agreements,” says Rhonda Staley Meredith. “Read every single word and line, because there are hidden things in there that, once you sign, can never be revoked.”
Right now, Liberty and Triple Oak Power are still in the beginning stages of development, they’re canvassing communities and holding open houses.