Sidewinder Explained

The Sidewinder Project is a proposed large-scale energy development in Niobrara County, Wyoming, aimed at producing “green hydrogen”—a type of fuel created using electricity from renewable sources like wind and solar. That hydrogen would then be used to make synthetic aviation fuel, mostly for export out of state.

To power this operation, the project would build a major renewable energy complex across wide swaths of prairie land—including wind turbines, transmission lines, solar fields, roads, fences, and a hydrogen production facility. It would use local water resources and require new infrastructure to move hydrogen out of the area.

While developers frame it as a clean energy solution, many residents are concerned about the scale, speed, and long-term impacts of the project—especially when it comes to water use, wildlife habitat, land disruption, safety, and the lack of meaningful local input.

In short, Sidewinder is not just a few wind turbines—it’s an industrial footprint that could change Niobrara County for decades.