One more big machine will be spinning this summer at the Iowa State fair. There was a colossal wind turbine on the fairgrounds last year, but it was only a display. This year organizers say a real working turbine will be built in time for the fair, and could generate enough electricity to supply a quarter of the fair’s power use.
It’s part of an ambitious expansion planned by MidAmerican Energy, which already owns and operates 323 wind turbines at three sites around the state. Iowa’s third in the nation in generating wind energy, and executives of the power company say MidAmerican owns more wind energy facilities than any other in the country.