Wind Powering America's "Wind Economic Development" Web Page
Benefits of Wind
Electricity from the Wind: What Landowners Should Know
This article from the Wind Powering America program is designed to assist in agricultural outreach efforts. The article gives a quick run down of things landowners should consider before entering into a lease or easement agreement with a wind developer.
Wind Energy for Rural Economic Development
Why Wind Energy?
Wind turbines of all sizes have become a familiar sight around the world for a wide variety of reasons, including their economic, environmental, and social benefits. The potential for wind energy is immense, and experts suggest wind power can supply more than 20% of U.S. and world electricity. Nevertheless, the United States currently produces less than 4% of our electricity from wind. The advantages and disadvantages of wind energy are detailed here to help you decide what the future of wind should be in the United States.
Benefits of Wind Energy
Wind energy provides many benefits:
Clean Electricity: Widespread wind development addresses climate change by providing a non-polluting source of energy that can displace greenhouse gas emissions from conventional power.
Energy Independence: Wind generation promotes national security by reducing our reliance on foreign and volatile sources of fossil fuels.
Comparing Statewide Economic Impacts of New Generation from Wind, Coal and Natural Gas in Arizona, Colorado and Michigan
This 2006 report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory assesses the direct economic impacts of constructing new electricity from wind, coal and natural gas in three different states. Initial results showed that new electricity generation from wind could be more economically effective than adding new electricity generation from gas or coal power and that new wind electricity generation keeps more dollars local.
Analysis: Economic Impacts of Wind Applications in Rural Communities
This report was released by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in 2005 and provides a compilation of data from studies of the economic impacts of wind farms on rural communities.
Electricity from the Wind: The New Cash Crop
This article from the Wind Powering America web site was designed to assist in agricultural outreach efforts and describes how wind energy can be a viable alternative income source for farmers.
Electricity from the Wind: Economic Development for Rural Communities
This is one article in a series prepared by the Wind Powering America program to support agricultural outreach efforts. This article describes how wind energy can be a boon for rural economies.
Renewable Energy: Wind Power's Contribution to Electric Power Generation and Impact on Farms and Rural Communities
Published by the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) in September 2004, this report examines the amount of electricity generated by U.S. wind power and prospects for its growth, the contribution of wind power to farmers' income and rural communities, the advantages and disadvantages for farmers of owning a wind power project versus leasing land for a project, and USDA's efforts to promote wind power in rural communities.
Pages
