Wind Turbines

2009

This photograph depicts eight wind turbines in a rural field in Northwest Missouri. Turbines represent a source of renewable power and showcase the trajectory of Missouri’s energy industry. At the turn of the twentieth century, the state had a few electrical generators in its largest cities and relied on coal-powered steam turbines to keep the lights on power households across the state. Missouri’s energy industry diversified in the following decades, and expanded beyond cities and into rural areas. In 1984, Union Electric established a nuclear plant in Callaway County, paving the way for alternative energy resources. 

In the 21st century, the state turned to sustainable and renewable energy production. Northwest Missouri’s location in Tornado Alley has propelled growth in wind energy. The state currently boasts seven wind farms, primarily located in Atchison, DeKalb, Gentry, and Nodaway Counties. In 2008, Rock Port, a town of 1,300 residents, gained national and international attention when it became the first city in the United States to be powered only by wind energy. Today, alternative energy efforts such as wind, solar, and nuclear power provide over 20% of electricity in Missouri.