How it all Works
Wind energy development is expanding rapidly, creating several opportunities for communities and municipalities to participate in wind farm development. Windy acreage is now seen as a potential goldmine. Many farmers and landowners are looking to get their piece of the pie. Wind energy offers a variety financial, environmental, and social benefits for the communities and individual landowners who choose to get involved in development.
The concept of Turbines for Towns™ is simple and flexible. Projects can be any size – one turbine or one hundred, usually commercial-scale and greater than 1.5MW. Turbines for Towns™ can include both on-site wind turbines used to offset the customer’s load and wholesale wind generation sold to an unrelated third party. Community wind projects are in the planning stages of several of our projects, and the concept is continually being re-defined as new community groups and models for ownership emerge. The key element is local ownership and local financial gain.
Turbines for Towns™ projects are owned by farmers, schools, colleges, tribal governments, municipal utilities, local businesses, and rural electric cooperatives, to name a few. These projects have come together through hard work, local innovation, and public policies that support locally owned projects, local champions, and the need for new economic opportunities in rural America.
Planning and developing a commercial-scale Turbines for Towns™ wind project takes several years, working with our dedicated team of professionals who possess expertise in business and finance, easements, power purchase agreements, engineering, construction and project management, and experience in the utility sector of the wind industry.
Potential Economic Rewards
Broaden and increase tax base
Turbines for Towns™ projects diversify the economy of rural communities, substantially broadening the tax base. Wind turbines provide a new source of property taxes in rural areas that otherwise have a hard time attracting new industry.
Local Economic Growth
Turbines for Towns™ wind projects have multiple economic effects and greater local returns in creating new jobs, growing business opportunities, and bringing new investment into the community than outside development, keeping a portion of the energy dollars local.
Promotes Cost-Effective Generation
The cost of wind generated electricity has fallen from nearly 40¢/kWh in the early 1980s to 2.5-5¢/kWh today depending on wind speed and project size.
Job Creation
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority reported in a recent study, wind energy creates 27% more jobs than a coal plant and 66% more than a natural gas combined-cycle plant per unit of energy generated.
Community Social Benefits
Energy Independence and National Security. Wind Farm projects large or small help diversify our energy portfolio and reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels. Wind Energy generation adds reliability to the nation’s electrical grid by decentralizing generation.New Cash Crop
Wind Farms create a new revenue source for farmers and rural landowners, diversifying their income. It is compatible with existing crops as wind turbines can be installed amongst cropland with minimal affect on people, livestock, or agricultural production.
Garners Local Support
Traditional Wind projects have traditionally benefited a relatively small number of people in the community. The Turbines for Towns™ model however in built around the a total community economic benefit. These projects can be used to build community centers, pools, improve schools, maintain librarys……. Local partnerships in Turbines for Towns™ can reduce local opposition to new wind farms and will cultivate local advocates.
Environmental Benefits of Community Wind
Produces Clean Electricity. Widespread community wind development addresses climate change by providing a nonpolluting source of energy that reduces greenhouse gas emissions.Keeps Water Sources Clean
Turbines produce no particulate emissions that contribute to mercury contamination in our lakes and streams. Wind energy also conserves water resources.
Protects Natural Resources
Harvesting the wind preserves natural resources as there is no need for destructive resource mining or fuel transportation to a processing facility.
Preserves Land
Wind farms are spaced over a large geographic area, but their actual footprint covers only a small portion of land resulting in a minimum impact on crop production or livestock grazing. Wind farms preserve open space, preventing residential sprawl.
Every one Wins
Wind Farm development is a rapidly expanding industry across the U.S., but much more needs to be done so to lessen our dependence on foreign energy sources and maximize wind energy potential. Developing wind energy can be a complicated process requiring substantial time and effort, but it doesn’t have to be with our Higher Power’s highly qualified team. Additionally, our Turbines for Towns™ program can also be very rewarding, both financially and on a personal level. We are excited and to work with you and your community to harvest your wind crop. You may contact us at mark@hpnrg.com.
Questions
What is the investment for the town?
Zero, that’s right most all upfront investments are made by Higher Power Energy and it’s investment partners. The Turbines for Towns™ program a rare business opportunity with little or no down side and a massive income opportunity. The only indirect costs you will incur are your legal costs to review the program and your interests.Does this program affect the landowners lease payments?
Due to the unique business structure of The Turbines for Towns™ program landowner payments are not affected by the large benefit the municipality will reap. This is what makes this program such a win-win arrangement not only does the landowner receive large lease payments for the use of their land but the communities which welcome our wind farms also receive massive financial reward.What expenses does the community incure?
There are virtually no upfront expenses aside from their own legal representation. Once the project is flipped the city will take over all expenses associated with their portion of the project.
Even after the expenses paid most Turbines for Towns™ projects will net the municipalities as much a $1,000,000.What is the term of the agreement?
Turbines for Towns™ agreements are the same as all our wind farm projects. The term of the lease is 30 years with another 10 year option.
How big are the projects and how much land is needed?
These projects are generally 20 – 40 megawatt. The Turbines for Towns™ portion of the project requires between 1,000 – 2,000 acres to be leased from local landowners.