Wind energy has economic, environmental, and energy security benefits that are local, regional, and national in scope.
A wind farm generates substantial value for a local community, including:
- Revenues to Towns: Property taxes or payments in lieu of taxes.
- Revenues to Farming and Ranching Landowners: Providing significant and stable revenues to local farmers and ranchers.
- Short Term Construction Benefits:
It is First Wind's policy to subcontract
locally for construction to the greatest
extent possible.
- Long Term Operations and Maintenance:
It is First Wind's policy to hire and train
locally to the greatest extent possible.
On a broader scale, wind power is an essential contributor to our electricity supply as America’s energy demand continues to increase. Wind provides a way to meet a significant portion of this increased demand without the environmental drawbacks of other types of power generation:
- Coal plants produce significant amounts of pollutants including carbon dioxide (greenhouse gas), SO2 (acid rain), NOx (acid rain and smog), particulate matter (asthma and other air pollution related illnesses), carbon monoxide, and mercury (contamination of fish and water supplies).
- Nuclear plants are difficult to site, are at risk of accidents and attack, and produce long-lasting radioactive waste that is difficult and risky to dispose of.
- Natural gas-fired plants, while cleaner than coal and nuclear, are often not cost competitive due to large and sudden fuel price increases.
- Large-scale hydroelectric projects have significant human and natural environmental impacts.
Wind power also improves our nation’s energy security because it generates power from a renewable and inexhaustible resource. It reduces dependence on fossil fuel imports and diversifies the energy supply. Because wind power involves no fuel cost, it reduces the overall volatility of energy prices that affect us all, which are dramatically affected by the volatile cost of gas and oil. |
