Idaho county ranks high in wind power
 
March 03, 2002
Lewiston Tribune Online
 
Idaho County is among the top 10 counties in the state with commercial wind power development potential.
 
Idaho County is fifth on the list, according to the Idaho Energy Division, with an estimated 63,400 acres with winds classified as Class 4 to 7. That translates into a potential electricity production of 1,280 megawatts.
 
Class 4 rated winds are the general threshold for large-scale wind development. Class 4 winds are at least 15.7 miles per hour at a height of some 150 feet.
 
The data was compiled by Integral GIS/Northwest SEED for the Idaho Energy Division and the U.S. Department of Energy.
 
Preliminary results show Custer County, in central Idaho, has the greatest commercial wind power development potential, Idaho Energy Division officials say.
 
Custer County has an estimated 174,500 acres with winds classified as Class 4-7, with a potential electricity production of 3,530 megawatts. Lemhi County ranks second with 100,800 acres of Class 4-7 winds and a potential for 2,040 megawatts, and Cassia County is third with 72,200 acres and a potential for 1,460 megawatts.
 
Officials say 36 of Idaho's 44 counties have a total of 900,000 acres with Class 4-7 winds.
 
All together, preliminary figures show Idaho has commercial wind power potential totaling 18,000 megawatts of electricity. That's enough to power about 4 million typical Idaho homes.