South Dakota Sioux Look To Raise $3 Billion For Wind Farms -- Their Mentor: President Bill Clinton

Before reading the post below, refresh your memory regarding wind energy in North Dakota:

• wind farms in North Dakota
• wind farm costs: from $1 million to $3 million/megawatt

Now the main feature. PrairieBizMagazine is reporting:

A group of Sioux tribes in South Dakota are hoping to pump some much-needed revenue into their economies with an ambitious wind project, but some wind industry experts question whether the tribes understand the hurdles they face with such a large-scale development.

Leaders from six Sioux tribes announced plans at last month’s Clinton Global Initiative to develop a renewable energy project that would generate 1 to 2 gigawatts of power annually. Funding for the up to $3 billion project would come from the sale of bonds by a new multi-tribal power authority as well as donations to a website.

I'm not sure what the hurdles are. I see only one hurdle: a letter requesting $3 billion from DOE  as a pilot project. Approval should be almost automatic.  DOE has a super record of approving renewable energy projects under the O'Bama administration.

1 gigawatt - 1,000 megawatt

So, the math is correct: $1 to $1.5 billion/gigawatt of wind energy; corresponds to a $3 billion project to generate 1 to 2 gigawatts of power.

“When I see plans for a thousand megawatts, I have to give a chuckle,” said Steve Wegman, an analyst for the South Dakota Renewable Energy Association.