A Madison Gas and subsidiary has announced that its newest wind farm is fully operational and delivering cost-effective, carbon-free energy to the electric grid. MGE owns 9.1 megawatts (MW) of the 92-MW wind farm in the Grant County towns of Clifton and Wingville.
 
“This is an exciting time for MGE as the Red Barn Wind Farm begins to generate cost-effective, carbon-free electricity to benefit all our electric customers,” said Jeff Keebler, MGE Chairman, President and CEO. “Red Barn is another important step in our ongoing transition to a more sustainable energy future. We are working aggressively to reduce our carbon emissions at least 80% from 2005 levels by the end of this decade and achieve net-zero carbon electricity by 2050. We have said since announcing our net-zero goal, if we can go further faster through partnerships with our customers and the evolution of new technologies, we will—and we are.”
 
Located on about 10,000 acres and consisting of 28 turbines, the Red Barn facility is expected to generate enough energy to serve about 50,000 households annually. MGE's share is expected to serve about 5,000 households each year.

Construction activities are underway at the future site of the Red Barn Wind Farm in Grant County. A subsidiary of Madison Gas and Electric will purchase a ten percent share of the 92-megawatt (MW) project when it’s complete.

Minnesota-based ALLETE Clean Energy is constructing the wind farm, which will consist of 28 turbines over about 12,000 acres. The land hosting the turbines will be leased from local landowners, who may continue to use it for farming or grazing. MGE’s share of the project is expected to generate enough energy to power about 4,000 households.

The company’s investment in the Red Barn Wind Farm is one of several renewable energy projects in various stages of development.