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Fair 2007: Wind Power

Duration: 04:00
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In the Fair’s early days, in the 19th century, windmills pumped water. Peter Hamlin shows us a windmill that pumps power for the Fair in the 21st century.

The new wind turbine at the Iowa State Fair is a windfall for both the Fair and MidAmerican Energy. The Fair gets a donation of about $100,000 worth of power every year for the next 10 years. Mathematicians will note that's $1,000,000 worth of electricity. MidAmerican Energy will get a million fairgoers' attention - and hopefully help educate them about how turbine farms around the state are providing Iowans with renewable and affordable power.

The new turbine is about half the size of most wind turbines seen in Iowa's fields, but still, it towers 200 feet over the fairgrounds on Expo Hill. If only it could make a big breeze to cool down those humid August afternoons!



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Post Date: August 15, 2007