Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Contacts: Laurie Gustafson, 651-215-0230 Colleen Coyne, 651-297-7363 Saint Paul, Minn. -- As fairgoers start to dream of the latest food "on-a-stick" to boost their energy, come Friday the Eco Experience at the 2006 Minnesota State Fair will be home to a different sort of energy on-a- stick. Minneapolis-based Windustry has worked with the fair to coordinate the first-ever vertical installation of this type of full-size wind turbine blade. The 123-foot-tall, 15,000-pound blade will be lowered into place using a special crane on the fairgrounds in front of the Progress Center building on Friday, August 11, at approximately 11 a.m. The blade will likely arrive in St. Paul on Thursday afternoon, after traveling about 300 miles from the factory in Grand Forks, N.D. "This may be a fairly unusual sight for people along the route or on the highway," says Anderson Trucking's Matt Fourre of the 136-foot-long hydraulic trailer needed to move the blade. "We do transport many wind turbine components, but few this highly visible to the public." Once in place, the towering sculpture will be the first thing fairgoers notice as they look north up Cosgrove Street. "We want people to know that wind energy as a technology is here, its time has arrived," says Lisa Daniels, executive director and founder of Windustry. Wind is the fastest growing energy source in the world, expanding at a rate of 20-30 percent per year. The blade outside the Eco Experience is a tribute to those who have made Minnesota a national leader in renewable energy and the fourth-largest wind energy producer in the nation. Minnesota is number one in community-, farmer- and locally-owned wind projects. The blade is a "second" donated by LM GlassFiber in Grand Forks, N.D., the world's leading supplier of wind turbine blades. As you can imagine, over-the-road transportation along Interstate 94 for such a long, weighty piece of equipment was complicated. More delicate still was carefully anchoring the blade to the ground - a daunting task involving a handful of engineering specialists and 60 cubic yards of concrete. Nearly 20 companies and organizations, including significant construction work and project oversight by M.A. Mortenson Company, have donated their time and effort to the installation of the blade. Photos of the blade installation (to be available late Friday afternoon) and more information about the Eco Experience are available at http://www.EcoExperience.org. Questions about the blade's over-the-road route can be directed to Fourre at 320-266-1226. Media representatives are invited to do live interviews and photos onsite, however there are safety restrictions on public and media viewing of the blade installation. For details contact the Minnesota State Fair or the media contacts listed. About the Eco Experience at the Minnesota State Fair
A first of its kind, the Eco Experience is an indoor green space with lush rain gardens, an eco home, live entertainment, and cutting-edge displays on renewable energy, new fuels and vehicles, and organic farming. Perfect for do-it-yourselfers, techies, gardeners and nature-lovers, the space features a children's area with fun for kids of all ages. The Eco Experience is presented by the Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, helping Minnesotans protect the environment since 1967. Bring your family, bring a friend - get in on the Eco Experience! The Eco Experience is located in the Progress Center building at the corner of Cosgrove Street and Randall Avenue on the State Fairgrounds. The Minnesota State Fair runs Thursday, Aug. 24 through Labor Day, Sept. 4, 2006. Park and ride information is available online at http://www.mnstatefair.org.