Benefits to the Local Community

Wind production has no "hidden costs." Wind farms require minimal services from the local community. Existing agricultural land remains intact. Wind sites promote flexibility and more financial options for landowners. Jobs, construction expenditures, landowner payments and property tax revenues have a multiplier affect on the region as dollars are cycled through local economies. Road improvements are often made to better access sites.

• Rural counties will realize:
  • Construction labor income
  • Local purchases of materials during construction
  • Property tax revenue
  • Operating jobs from construction
  • Landowner royalties
  • Share of sales tax for operating material
• The state economy will realize:
  • Income tax from construction employees
  • Income tax from operating employees
  • Income tax on landowner royalties
  • Income tax from the wind farm

Jobs

The Renewable Energy Policy Project (REPP) estimates that every megawatt of installed wind capacity creates about 4.8 job-years of employment, both direct (manufacturing, construction, operations) and indirect (vendors, office support, etc.). This means that a 50MW wind farm creates 240 job-years of employment.

The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) predicts that wind installations worldwide will total more than 75,000 megawatts over the next decade, or more than $75 billion worth of business. Through the year 2013, the U.S. could experience 25% of the worldwide growth in the wind industry, resulting in the creation of thousands of new domestic jobs.

Property Taxes

Wind farms expand the local tax base and keep energy dollars in the local community. This is often critical for rural communities where schools and services can suffer from a chronic lack of funds. It is not uncommon for a wind farm to become the largest tax contributor in a small community.

Landowner Payments

Wind farms can revitalize the economy of rural communities, providing steady income through lease or royalty payments to farmers and other landowners. A reasonable estimate for income to a landowner from a single utility-scale turbine is $2,000 to $3,000 a year.