According to Burg, if South Dakota could capture all its wind and develop it into power, the state could provide 24 percent of all the power in the United States. South Dakota has the potential to provide 50 times more power than all the dams on the Missouri River combined. Despite the advantages South Dakota provides in wind potential, there are still some obstacles to overcome. We need to get it to the places that need the power. Transmission of the power to the areas that need it is the biggest challenge.
Transmission lines are the energy superhighways.
The transmission lines that exist do not have room to transfer more electricity. This means that in order to export electricity from this state, new transmission lines will have to be built. According to Ziebarth, building those lines is very expensive and many development companies are not ready to take on that cost. Burke urged landowners to be ready when the wind development does come. Landowners need to understand the parts of an easement contract and to visit with a lawyer before agreeing to anything.