Wind Project Development

A wind project site assessor takes wind speed and other measurements to estimate energy production. Photo from NREL

Wind energy is a large industry in the renewable energy sector with many moving parts and participants. Whether you are interested in installing wind energy in your area, be that adding distributed wind energy systems to power local needs or hosting utility-scale land-based wind farms or even supporting offshore wind power projects, how do you know what steps it takes to develop a working wind farm, or even a removed one after the end of its life? What are the economic and financial benefits of spporting wind energy? How are appropriate locations chosen for a wind power project? What rules and regulations guide the development of a wind power project? What impacts can those choices have?

There are many steps before a wind turbine starts spinning and providing power to onsite needs or the grid. A few are highlighted below. Click on each to learn more.

What Is the Community Impact of Wind Energy?

Properly sited wind projects can easily coexist with the local community with no known health effects. WINDExchange provides information to help communities understand the physical impacts of local wind development and answer questions about the technology’s safety, noise, shadow flicker, radar interference, and view impacts.

How Do Site Selection Research and Regulation Affect Wind Turbine Location?

Choosing an appropriate site for a wind turbine or wind farm is critical to a successful project and involves assessing wind speed, site terrain, the local community and environment, and relevant policies, permitting and zoning regulations, and ordinances, as well as determining the appropriate wind turbine technology. WINDExchange provides site selection resources and tools to aid the development of responsible wind energy projects, including on public land, and the repowering or removal at the end of its life.

How Are Economics and Incentives Evaluated for Wind Power Projects?

An essential element of planning any energy project is estimating costs and benefits, such as job creation, tourism, and land leasing. WINDExchange provides information related to the economic impacts of wind energy development, including workforce training, financial incentives, and tax credits.

How Are Environmental Impacts Assessed for Wind Farms?

As with all energy projects, environmental impacts from wind project development vary by location. Learn how pre- and post-development studies, educated siting, and mitigation measures can be used to understand and limit the potential impact of wind development to local wildlife, such as birds, bats, and marine mammals.