The Future of Community Wind Projects in Vermont

Wind power is the fastest growing renewable energy source in the United States and around the world today.1 In fact, the market for wind energy grew by an average of 28% per year between 1999 and 2003 in the U.S.2 Its increasing popularity comes as no surprise as America faces rising fuel costs and mounting concern over global warming. As the cost of energy production by wind declines, more people across the country are investing in community wind projects.

Community wind projects have been popular in Europe for decades, and have just taken off over the last few years in the U.S. By definition, the projects are owned and developed locally, with at least one person in the community holding a significant financial stake in it. While a project tends to generate 600 kilowatts per hour (kWh) or more, the size often varies.

Examples of successful community wind projects abound in states such as Massachusetts, Minnesota, California, Oregon, and more. With each success story, more Americans are realizing the benefits that community wind can offer their local economy and environment. In Vermont, community wind projects have the potential to create jobs and inject capital into local economies, save the state a significant amount of money, aid struggling farmers, and ensure the continued existence of Vermont’s industries which are at risk of extinction due to global warming: maple sugaring, agriculture, and tourism.

Vermont is at a critical juncture. The state’s contracts with Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station and HydroQuébec, expire in 2012 and 2015 respectively.4 Combined, these two generating sources now provide electricity to 2/3rds of the state.5 As these contracts expire, Vermont can replace them with power from finite resources which contribute to global warming and threaten Vermont’s industries, or can develop renewable energy sources, such as wind, improving the environment and Vermont’s economy.

Below you will find a description of the benefits that a community wind project has to offer, as well as the steps one can take to develop such a project in Vermont. You will also find case studies of successful community wind projects, as well as a brief overview of important policies in Vermont, ownership models, and financial incentives. This document should leave you with a basic understanding of why citizens as well as local and state governments across the country are developing community wind projects, and why and how such projects should be developed in Vermont.