“Economic Development Impacts of Community Wind Projects: A Review and Empirical Evaluation” by E. Lantz and S. Tegen, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, in April 2009.

Community wind can contribute to the economic development of a region by providing high quality jobs, creating and retaining wealth that can then be re-invested in the community. Numerous independent studies have quantified the economic impact of community wind projects. To learn more about these economic benefits of community wind, read the articles below.

The energy sector is transforming from a “big” business structure driven by non-renewable environmental extraction to a sector built on accessible abundant and renewable energy to households and business of all sizes, according to a series of briefing papers by the Center for Social Inclusion.

WindWorks! Northwest advocates for government approval of well-conceived wind power projects in the Pacific Northwest. WindWorks! counters NIMBY opposition by telling the truth about the effects of wind farms and the economic and environmental benefits they provide.

WindWorks! Northwest

“Community-based renewable energy projects can produce big benefits,” according to Julie Curti and Justin Goetz in their article “Rewards of Ownership” in a recent issue of Rural Cooperatives Magazine, published by U.S. Department of Agriculture.

This publication goes through a broad overview of community-wind development. In includes some helpful resources and addresses the many different areas that community-wind development entails. The content is based on a series of presentations from 2008 by the same title.

The Harvesting Clean Energy Conference is the Northwest’s premiere gathering to advance rural economic development through clean energy production. Clean energy offers practical, profitable opportunities for our farmers, ranchers, rural utilities and towns, tribes, and regional economy.

What It Covers

With talk of wind as an alternative energy source for south-central Kansas, a wind energy summit is being planned for area producers, wind energy enthusiasts, landowners, county commissioners, city commissioners and other interested parties.

Steve Errebo, Lincoln County Commissioner, will give an overview of an entire completed wind farm project.

In this interview with the Climate Energy Project, Dan Nagengast of the Kansas Rural Center talks about community wind opportunities in Kansas.

Click here to read the interview. 

The November/December 2007 issue of Rural Cooperatives, a magazine published by USDA Rural Development, features wind energy.