The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) announced yesterday that in 2008 alone over 8,000 MW of wind energy was installed. This increased the nation's wind energy capacity by 50% and created an investment of $17 billion into the economy.
The United States now has a total installed capacity of 25,170 MW of wind energy. Minnesota is ranked 4th nationally with 1,752 MW installed and Iowa has exceeded California and is now 2nd with 2,790 MW.
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.
Brad Haight is a renewable energy attorney in Colorado. His presentation "Developer Evaluation" gives landowners a starting place in evaluating a wind energy developer that is interested in their land. The document includes information on wind energy development and a checklist of important information for landowners to gather. Click on the file below to download.
Kassandra McQuillen, Attorney at Law
208 South Green Street #6
Tehachapi, CA 93561
(661)823-9454
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has issued a report that provides an overview of existing wind energy ordinances across the country. The increase in wind energy development also creates a new responsibility on the part of local governments to ensure that ordinances will be established to aid development of safe facilities that are embraced by the community.
The purpose of the report is to educate and engage state and local governments, as well as policy makers about existing large wind energy ordinances.
Joseph F. Spitzzeri
Johnson & Bell, Ltd.
33 W. Monroe Street
Chicago, IL 60603
www.johnsonandbell.com
The Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics at Michigan State University has published a document entitled "Landowner Guidelines for Evaluating Wind Energy Production Leases". It is aimed at landowners across the country.
This worksheet is designed to help landowners evaluate some important considerations when reviewing a wind energy lease and/or easement agreement. It provides comments on alternatives to lease provisions, where appropriate, and will help walk a landowner through the often complex multi-page agreements. Click here for the .pdf file.
This article reprint from Tierra Grande, April 2008, presents an overview of many issues regarding leasing your land to a wind developer. Topics covered include wind data, tax credits, royalties, severance clauses, surface rights and a host of other considerations. While focused on Texas, the article presents information that applies to all wind agreements in general and is useful for both landowners and attorneys.
Specializes in data logging and control equipment for wind energy.
P.O. Box 1264
Winona, MN 55987
(507) 454-2727
Through our telephone and e-mail information lines, we often get inquiries about investing in wind energy. This news item will be of particular interest to South Dakota residents because it involves an intrastate public offer specific to them. However, others may be interested to see how this community ownership model works as it was used successfully in Minnesota in the p
