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Most commercial-scale community wind projects are multi-million dollar investment endeavors that require outside financing assistance. This section will give you some background on how to approach a bank or other financing entity. Loan terms will affect the bottom line of your wind energy project revenue, so understanding the requirements and options for financing your wind development are critical. Getting organized in the beginning will put your project in a much better negotiating position for acquiring favorable financing. With enough due diligence documentation, your project will be less risky and more attractive to a financing entity.

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The cost of wind energy fell dramatically from the 1980s through 2003, but has increased about 30% over the past few years due to increased construction costs, the weakening US dollar, increased commodity and energy costs, increased market demand, and changes in the structure and terms of project financing.

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In the United States, leasing land to wind energy developers continues to be the most common way rural landowners are participating in wind energy. As the wind industry grows, wind developers are increasing the amount of land they are leasing to keep their future market share from slipping away. Because of this, landowners in windy areas need solid advice about wind energy and what signing a wind energy lease or easement means to both them and future generations who will inherit the land.

Currently, most landowners who participate in commercial-scale wind development do so by entering into a lease or easement agree

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If you have a good wind resource and land that is well-suited for wind turbines, you still must consider how your community views and regulates wind power. Communities around the country are working to find the best ways to permit and tax wind generation facilities. Their decisions are vital to windy areas because they determine the impacts and benefits of wind energy projects for the broader community. Some states, like Minnesota, have developed statewide policies but still involve local agencies in the process, while most states leave it to the counties or other local permitting agencies to create regulations and issue permits.

Welcome to the Community Wind Toolbox.

The Community Wind Handbook offers high-quality practical information for farmers and rural landowners looking to develop commercial-scale wind projects.

You can download the Community Wind Toolbox as PDF documents.

Chapter by Chapter Download

If you would like to print out certain chapters ahead of time, please click on the links to the specific chapter below.

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This section focuses on project management and planning, two elements that are essential to a successful 2-50 MW community wind project. Topics covered in this section include putting together a reliable project team and understanding risks and ways to mitigate them. The section also provides resources for creating a realistic project plan and timeline, as well as tips from experienced community wind developers.