Two Mid-Atlantic States See Close to Half-a-Million in Revenue from Onshore Wind Farms

“It is really exciting to be on the cutting edge of renewable energy and to be involved with Apex [Clean Energy.]” That’s what Botetourt County Chamber of Commerce Board President Peter Pearl recently said about a proposed wind farm that is planned as Virginia’s first onshore wind farm.

The Rocky Forge Wind Farm, a project of Apex Clean Energy, will represent a significant private investment in Botetourt County, which lies in Virginia’s Roanoke Region. In addition to adding new jobs, it is expected to generate $20 to $25 million in state and county tax revenue over the life of the project as well as drive decades of increased local purchasing, employment, and investment.

“This project is just another indicator of Botetourt’s focus on economic development and follows on the heels of several substantial announcements in the last year,” said Botetourt County Chamber Executive Director Doloris Vest. “Focusing on the energy of the future is just one way support the business of the future.”

Virginia’s southern neighbor recently launched its first wind farm, which the local chamber President and board President said they were thrilled to see operational. North Carolina’s Amazon U.S. East wind farm in Elizabeth City put to work more than 500 North Carolinians and brought in $18 million in investments. The project also will inject more than $1.1 million in landowner payments and taxes a year.

“Growing renewable energy in Virginia is not just about a healthier environment or a broader energy mix; it is also about economic growth and diversification,” Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe said early this year. “We are committed to giving innovative companies the tools they need when deciding where to locate and grow their operations.” The Governor toured the proposed farm site prior to construction.

Across the U.S., corporations and utilities are increasingly demanding wind energy because it has become one of the nation’s most affordable sources of electricity. In fact, in many parts of the country, it is cheaper to install a new wind energy generation facility than any other type of generation facility. It is also not subject to price fluctuations as many other forms of energy are.

$400 Million Project Delivers Jobs, Investments, and Tax Payments

When it comes to big new economic development opportunities, it’s no secret that rural communities sometimes feel left behind. But with the rise of wind energy, that has been changing. And this trend has not been lost on local chamber leaders and others focused on economic development.

In recent years, local chamber leaders in Ohio, Michigan, and Virginia have been speaking up about the benefits of wind energy to their communities. Now, local chamber leaders in North Carolina are joining their ranks with the opening of the state’s first large-scale wind farm, Amazon Wind Farm U.S. East.

“As representatives for the business community, it’s our responsibility to advocate for jobs and economic development in northeast North Carolina and the Elizabeth City region, and we are thrilled to see the [Amazon] project operational,” the Elizabeth City Chamber of Commerce President and Board President recently wrote in a letter to North Carolina’s Speaker, Tim Moore.

“The Amazon project has a significant impact on the local economy and our Tier 1 [North Carolina’s most distressed] counties, as well as to our region’s economic growth and the ongoing expansion of the clean tech sector in the state,” Mike Hindenach and Doug Gardiner added.

“Everyone will benefit.” Amazon’s latest wind farm was built to power data centers outside Washington, D.C. But North Carolina’s local communities spanning Pasquotank and Perquimans counties are reaping direct economic benefits. Among them:

• More than 500 workers and 30 North Carolina companies were put to work

• More than $18 million was spent locally by Avangrid Renewables

• More than $1.1 million in landowner payments and taxes will be injected into the local economy each year, according to a report in Electric Light & Power.

“Almost everyone in the community knows someone who worked on the wind farm, sold or rented something that helped build the wind farm, or owns land where the project was built,” Cecil Perry, Chairman of the Pasquotank County Board of Commissioners, was quoted as saying.

“These jobs, and this nearly $400 million investment in a rural part of North Carolina, are welcome — everyone in the county will benefit from the long-term property tax payments,” Perry added.

Benefits to More NC Communities. But it is not only the communities that house wind farms that benefit from the development of wind energy. North Carolina, for example, has more than 70 companies across the wind supply chain, such as the making of blades, towers, generators, and turbine assembly.

Meanwhile, a second wind farm, Timbermill Wind, is eyed for development in North Carolina that could bring in between $600,000 to $800,000 a year for each of the counties it would span. Chowan County unanimously approved conditional use permits, but Perquimans County did not. The developer, Apex Clean Energy, is moving forward with the project in Chowan County while it appeals the decision in Perquimans County.

The Edenton-Chowan Chamber adopted a resolution in support of wind energy and the proposed project, then helped lead the charge to co-host a briefing call for other chambers.

“What does wind energy mean to little Chowan County?” asked Win Dale, Executive Director of the Edenton-Chowan Chamber of Commerce, a place that struggles to maintain its tax base and provide jobs that will be home to the state’s second planned wind farm, Timbermill Wind. “It means increasing our revenue by $250,000 a year,” he said.

The Outer Banks Chamber, home to a strategic spot for offshore wind development, has also publically expressed their support for wind development. Offshore wind could lead to 48,145 jobs in North Carolina—approximately 25,000 more than from offshore drilling.

Pictured above from left to right: Rep. Howard Hunter; Rep. Chuck McGrady; Speaker Tim Moore; Rep. Holly Grange; Rep. Sam Watford; Rep. Bob Steinburg; Rep. John Bell; Rep. Chris Malone; Rep. John Szoka.

Ohio Chambers Talk Wind Energy During Capitol Visit

From a Columbus suburb (home to a new wind-powered Amazon data center) to the small village of Paulding (where a new wind farm will begin generating electricity in 2017) local chamber leaders trekked to Ohio’s capitol this month to tell Gov. Kasich and lawmakers how their communities have benefited from wind energy.

“For businesses, school districts, and taxpayers in rural communities like ours, wind power is an absolute blessing,” said Peggy Emerson, Executive Director of the Paulding Chamber of Commerce.

“Wind energy has been one of the biggest investments in Ohio and has the potential to contribute much more to Ohio’s future economic prosperity,” said Susan Munroe, President and CEO of the Van Wert Area Chamber of Commerce. “We want to work with legislators to encourage further investment and job growth created with wind energy development.”

To date, wind energy has resulted in investments of more than $775 million in Ohio. This new “cash crop” delivers significant tax benefits to schools and other institutions, income to landowners and local supply chain businesses while supporting county services in communities able to host these wind farms.

This was the second visit by local chamber leaders to the state’s capitol in the past year. In a related trend, a growing number of businesses have encouraged lawmakers to establish reasonable “setback” provisions, which determine how far a wind turbine must be situated from the nearest property line.

In 2014, the Ohio legislature tripled the required distance for turbines — resulting in a near moratorium on wind farm development and investment. Meanwhile, corporations such as Amazon have announced increased demand for wind energy to power data centers in the state. And the Toledo-based Owens Corning in 2015 signed the largest wind power purchase agreement by an industrial company in the world—but had to source wind energy from Texas.

Amazon Wireless Services, Panasonic, Apex Clean Energy, First Solar, and other businesses also sent a letter to Gov. Kasich this month encouraging more reasonable rules.

The local chamber leaders took a more personal approach, sharing their stories in meetings with the Governor’s Office; Speaker Cliff Rosenberger’s Office, a half-dozen representatives, including Rep. Shaffer, Chair of the House Public Utilities Commission; and Senators Cliff Hite and Jay Hottinger.

Pictured above from left to right: Susan Munroe, President & CEO, Van Wert Area Chamber of Commerce; Former Ohio Rep. Jim Hoops; Eric Germann, President, Lincolnview Schools; Peggy Emerson, Executive Director, Paulding Chamber of Commerce; Brian Dicken, VP of Advocacy & Public Policy, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce.