ALLEGANY WIND PROJECT - Benefits of Wind Power

Wind power can help the further development of Cattaraugus County by bringing economic, environmental and political benefits to the county and its residents. The potential wind power capacity of New York State has been estimated at 10,000 MW. At that level, wind energy would become the second leading source of energy in New York, eclipsing hydroelectric, coal, and natural gas. The benefits of wind are many:

Economic

  • According the Union of Concerned Scientists, for every megawatt (MW) of wind energy produced $370,000 is generated in the form of tax revenues, lease payments, and capital investment. This figure does not included additional revenue generated from planning, development, and construction that could bring that figure closer to $1 million. Click here for more information about renewable energy and the New York economy.
  • Local counties and school districts would enjoy additional revenues from Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreements from the project.
  • The Union of Concerned Scientists estimates that farmers or ranchers with good wind resources can increase the economic yield of their land by 30 to 100 percent. Click here for more information on the benefits of wind power to farmers.
  • A study by NYSERDA estimates that wind energy produced 27 percent more jobs per kilowatt-hour than coal plants, and 66 percent more jobs than natural gas. For more information on the impact of wind energy on jobs in New York and throughout the US, click here.
  • Supplemental income from wind energy can hedge farm incomes against bad weather and lost crops. Please click here for information on wind energy and rural economic development.
  • The Renewable Energy Policy Project estimates that every megawatt of installed wind capacity creates about 4.8 job-years of employment. For the proposed 60 MW Howard Wind Project, this would mean a potential of more than 288 job-years of employment. These figures include both direct and indirect employment.
  • There is also indirect benefit from the economic stimulus. The paychecks generated by the new jobs and additional income are spent on local goods and services, boosting the local economy and creating additional jobs. See the AWEA Fact Sheets for more information.
  • Many studies of rural US areas have shown that the presence of wind turbines increases tourism. Surveys of tourists in areas of Scotland, Australia, Denmark, and the US have shown no negative effect of wind farms on visitor's likelihood of returning to those areas. More information on this study can be found by clicking here.
  • The New York Wind Energy System Exemption provides a 15 year real property tax exemption for wind projects. The intent of the law is to assure property owners that their real property taxes will not increase as a result of the installation of wind turbines. The amount of the exemption is equal to the increase in assessed value attributable to the wind energy system.
  • The wind project will support the local farmers with supplemental income through a land lease/shared revenue agreement. It is estimated that the income to a landowner from a single utility-scale turbine is approximately $3,000 - $7,000 per year (and this figure increases as the capacity and efficiency of the turbines increase). While that turbine earns added income for the farmer or rancher, the land next to the towers can still be used to grow crops or raise cattle.

Environmental and Health

  • Although wind turbines do not necessarily take fossil fuel plants out of service directly, a watt of electricity produced by a utility-scale wind turbine IS a watt not produced by a natural gas or coal plant. During its 20+ year lifetime, a single 1.65 MW turbine can prevent the emission of 2,700 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2 - global climate change), 14 tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2 - acid rain), and 9 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOX - smog).
  • In order to absorb the same amount of CO2 saved by a 1.65 MW wind turbine, a 1,000 acre forest would be needed. A wind turbine needs an area of just 2-3 acres, the majority of which can still be used for farming, ranching and other purposes.
  • Air pollution lowers crop yields - to the tune of tens of billions of dollar per year in the US alone - and wind power can help reduce air pollution by displacing power produced from fossil sources.
  • Wildlife and bird species coexist with wind energy projects much better than they coexist with any other form of traditional energy production. Please click here for more information.
  • Cleaner air simply means healthier air, especially for people with respiratory disabilities.

Political

  • New York governor George Pataki recently pushed for the adaptation of a Renewable Portfolio Standard that requires that 25 percent of the electricity purchased in the State must be from renewable sources by 2013. Cattaraugus County has significant wind resources and can help the state achieve these goals. Please click here for more information.
  • Wind energy costs for consumers are low and stable. This is particularly beneficial for all power consumers when oil and gas prices are rising and volatile.
  • Wind energy projects support New York State's agricultural initiative to maintain its farmland resource and help keep the farmers' land in production.
  • A wind project in Cattaraugus County will give consumers across the state greater access to cleaner, more efficient, renewable sources of energy.