How many windmills are needed to be considered a wind farm?

Hi Chris,
Well, the number of turbines it takes for a project to be considered a "wind farm," can turly vary depending on who you are talking with. It's kind of like asking "How large does a farm need to be to be considered at 'farm?'"

A small wind farm can thoeretically be a group of 3-5 turbines (anything more than 1 really), and range up to the larger end at 100+ turbines. Especially since wind development is taking shape in many new ways today throughout the countryside, there is not a firm definition. Also, turbines are increasing in generation capacity, so one turbine today can produce as much as 4 turbines did 10 years ago.

To give another perspective, here is what the American Wind ENergy Association has to say about wind farms:

"What is a wind power plant?

The most economical application of wind electric turbines is in groups of large machines (660 kW and up), called "wind power plants" or "wind farms." For example, a 107-MW wind farm near the community of Lake Benton, Minn., consists of turbines sited far apart on farmland along windy Buffalo Ridge. The wind farm generates electricity while agricultural use continues undisturbed.

Wind plants can range in size from a few megawatts to hundreds of megawatts in capacity. Wind power plants are "modular," which means they consist of small individual modules (the turbines) and can easily be made larger or smaller as needed. Turbines can be added as electricity demand grows. Today, a 50-MW wind farm can be completed in 18 months to two years. Most of that time is needed for measuring the wind and obtaining construction permits—the wind farm itself can be built in less than six months."

http://www.awea.org/faq/tutorial/wwt_basics.html