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What
are those interesting lines and circles on the ground to the north
of Lincoln?
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[December
01, 2008]
Right now, if you would be
northwest of Lincoln near Interstate 155 and Route 136 and looked
down from a distance, you would see an unusual-looking pattern of
lines and circles on the earth's surface. Some of the circles have
white poles poking up. The random geometric patterns are reminiscent
of popularized crop circle photos, which are reported from time to
time and no one knows how they got there. There is all manner of
speculation as to the creators of crop circles, ranging from aliens
with a message, to military practicing their latest technology.
Maybe a thousand years from now others will wonder about the
giant concrete pads, surrounding circles and the grid lines that
connect them in distinctive, yet seemingly no particular meaningful
pattern. However, at present, we know the answer to the patterns,
and it is a simple one. This is the beginning of Rail Splitter Wind
Farm. |
 What you see now will not be as visible in the future, as it
represents freshly laid infrastructure: some that is underground and
will blend in with its surroundings in time and some that will
remain at the surface. The lines are access roadways to individual
turbines and where clay tiles for transmission lines have recently
been buried.
Wind farm locations are carefully chosen for the most favorable
winds, the presence of transmission infrastructure and proximity to
power markets; while exact turbine locations are chosen keeping safe
distances from homes and other structures.
The turbines harvest energy from the wind and transform it into
electrical energy, which is channeled to a substation and then
connected to the main utility grid, where it will be available for
open-market purchase.
The process begins as the wind moves the blades of each turbine.
The wind's kinetic energy is transformed into electricity by a
generator at the hub, called the "nacelle," on top of the turbine.
The electricity is then conducted through copper wires that run
down the inside of the turbine and travel through clay tiles laid 4
feet underground.
Turbines vary in height and blade length. Rail Splitter Wind Farm
turbines are 328 feet tall with blades 164 feet long.
The blades of each turbine begin to turn at wind speeds of 5 mph
and begin to generate electricity at 8 mph. They reach peak
efficiency at wind speeds of 20-22 mph. The blades "feather" over 20
mph. Brakes shut the generator down to prevent damage during high
winds in excess of 50 mph.
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Each of these turbines has the potential to produce 1.5 megawatts
electricity, with as much as 100 megawatts per year expected to be
produced by the wind farm as a whole.
The wind farm territory spreads over approximately 18,000 acres.
Each turbine occupies three-fourths to 1 acre. Rail Splitter's 67
turbines take less than 50 acres out of crop production in exchange
for the potential of up to 100 megawatts of electrical power. That's
enough electrical power to supply Logan County homes three times
over.
The Rail Splitter Wind Farm is located eight miles north of
Lincoln, north of Union, and extends northwest about 7 1/2 miles.
[By
JAN YOUNGQUIST]
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