The Tribal Convention Center, which houses their casino, has been chosen as the location for the Wind Energy Project. Members of the Utility Commission staff spent 14 to 16 months researching the site before it was chosen. Construction of a one megawatt wind turbine is slated to begin this summer. It will be the first wind turbine in South Dakota. The long term goal is to achieve 20-30 megawatts for a wind turbine farm which could be used to supply energy cities in the East, according to Tony Rogers, executive director of the Rosebud Sioux Utility Commission.
Wind turbines make electricity by operating the opposite of a fan.
Rather than using electricity to make air flow like a fan, wind turbines use airflow to make electricity, according to the U.S. Department of Energy Wind Energy Programs Web site. The wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to a generator and produces electricity. Single, small turbines, usually below 50 kilowatts, can even be used for homes, telecommunications dishes or water pumping. There are several benefits to wind energy. It is virtually pollution free - emitting no gas or fumes.