Community Benefit Agreements

Wind Energy Community Benefits Database

This searchable database reflects community benefit agreements (CBAs), community benefit funds, donations, and other forms of benefits from land-based and offshore wind energy developments in the U.S. compiled by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) from 2022 to 2024.

If you would like to submit a CBA that is not represented in this database, please email windcommunitybenefits@nrel.gov .

For more information about how community benefits are developed and the role they play in wind energy development, please visit the Wind Energy Community Benefits Guide. Learn more about the community impacts of wind farms.

What Forms of Community Benefits Does This Database Include?

Community benefits for wind energy projects can be structured in many ways, but the following categories are the most common and are the focus of this database:
Developers and representatives of a government or community may sign an agreement stating the benefits that will be provided from a project and detailing the mechanisms and timelines for delivering benefits. Terminology may vary, depending on factors like the type of infrastructure or who the signatories are. Common names or types include community benefit agreement, host community agreement, good neighbor agreement, and tribal benefit agreement.
Developers may provide payments, donations, or other financial benefits to a local or Tribal government outside of the bounds of a formal agreement; these are often one-time payments.
Developers may establish funds that distribute funding to different causes or recipients in the community over time, often through the form of grants. Terminology and structure may vary, with common names or types including community benefit fund, community fund, or scholarship fund.
Developers may directly donate or contribute to local organizations, programs, or causes in the community (e.g., schools, fire departments, community service organizations).
291 results Download
Project Name
State
County
Form of Benefit
Additional Form
Infrastructure Type
Number of Turbines
Generating Capacity (MW)
Year Built
Aurora North Dakota Williams County Fund Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 71 299 2021
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Tradewind Energy / Enel Green Power

  • During the COVID-19 pandemic, Enel donated $58,000 to first responders: the Tioga Medical Center, Ray Volunteer Fire District, Tioga Volunteer Fire District and Wildrose Volunteer Fire District. Funds were used for training, necessary equipment, and COVID-19 emergency response needs.

  • As part of a multi-year commitment, Enel has sponsored the annual Drone Camp for Kids in Tioga to engage local students in STEM education.

  • Enel established a scholarship at Lake Region State College for students seeking an Associate in Applied Science in Wind Energy Technology or completing the wind turbine technician program, with preference given to students from Williams County and/or graduates of Tioga High School.

  • Enel contributed to a $1 million industry-supported technical skills grant, which is matched with funding from the state of North Dakota. Enel’s contribution supports unmanned aerial systems (UAS) training and re-skilling for adult learners in the oil and gas community.

Sources

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Bison 1, 2, 3, & 4 North Dakota Morton County, Oliver County, Mercer County Non-financial Land-based wind energy project 150 307.8 2010-2014
Developed, Owned, or Operated by ALLETE Clean Energy

  • Minnesota Power, a division of ALLETE Clean Energy, donated hydraulic equipment that will support hands-on training for Lake Region State College’s Wind Energy Technician Students. Tim Mork, Reliability Coordinator for the Bison Wind site, led the effort to secure the donation to the college.

Source

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Brady Wind I & II North Dakota Stark County, Hettinger County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 159 300 2016
Developed, Owned, or Operated by NextEra Energy Resources

  • NextEra Energy Resources has donated $20,000 total to two emergency services; the New England Ambulance Service and New England Volunteer Fire Department each received $10,000 to support their services in Hettinger and Stark counties.

Source

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Courtenay North Dakota Stutsman County Fund Land-based wind energy project 100 200 2016
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Geronimo Energy / Xcel Energy

  • The Courtenay Community Fund was established in 2017 by Geronimo Energy to benefit the communities near the Courtenay Wind Farm by providing grants to nonprofit and community projects and programs. Geronimo Energy made a lump sum donation to establish the fund, which provides $40,000 annually over a 20 year period (a total of $800,000). The fund is administered by the North Dakota Community Foundation, but grant disperal is advised one to two times per year by a local board of community members and wind farm participating landowners. Grants have gone to a variety of organizations, including the city of Courtenay for the Courtenay Community Center, the Courtenay Community BBQ Association, the Courtenay Rural Fire Protection District for equipment purchase and upgrades, LaBrash-Altriner Post 236 of the American Legion for accessibility upgrades, St. Boniface Wimbledon for a youth program, and the Trailblazers 4H Club.

Sources

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Crow Lake / Prairie Winds 1 ND & SD North Dakota Jerauld County, Brule County, Aurora County Donation/support to local cause Non-financial Land-based wind energy project 101 151.5 2010, 2011
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Basin Electric Power Cooperative

  • Basin Electric Cooperative donates $500 annually to the Max, ND fire department and runs an annual awareness training to familiarize emergency responders with the wind facility. The small volunteer fire department is able to send several firefighters to the state fire school each February for training thanks to the donation.

Source

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Emmons-Logan North Dakota Emmons County, Logan County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 102 200 2019
Developed, Owned, or Operated by NextEra Energy Resources

  • In 2020, NextEra Energy Resources donated $5,000 to the Linton Chamber of Commerce to help with Emmons County Dairy & Ag Day.

Source

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Foxtail North Dakota Dickey County Non-financial Land-based wind energy project 75 150 2019
Developed, Owned, or Operated by NextEra Energy Resources / Xcel Energy

  • When constructing the Foxtail Wind Farm in 2019, Xcel Energy planted a pollinator garden with milkweed and pollinator-friendly vegetation, alongside students from the Kulm School District.

Source

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Lindahl North Dakota Williams County Donation/support to local cause Fund Land-based wind energy project 75 150 2017
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Enel Green Power

  • During the COVID-19 pandemic, Enel Green Power donated $58,000 to first responders in the Lindahl project area, including Tioga Medical Center and local volunteer fire districts, for training, equipment, and COVID-19 emergency needs. This funding was part of a $1.3 million donation made by Enel Green Power to 75 beneficiaries in the areas of Enel's projects in the U.S. and Canada.

  • Enel invested $1 million in Tioga Community Economic Development, matched by state funding, to support Unmanned Aircraft System training and re-skilling for adult learners in the oil and gas industry.

  • Enel has supported local schools, particularly STEM education, providing the Tioga Public School District with a $60,000 donation in 2019 and a $16,500 donation in 2021.

  • Enel sponsors the Tioga Drone Camp for Kids, in partnership with the Tioga Economic Development Corporation and Lake Region State College, and brings 200 students annually to develop drones and learn about technology used at Lindahl Wind Farm.

  • Enel provides a scholarship for the wind turbine technician program at Lake Region State College.

Sources

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
New Frontier North Dakota McHenry County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 29 99 2018
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Meadowlark Wind / Capital Power

  • New Frontier Wind has supported community organizations and events, including Velva Food Pantry, Velva Community Development Corporation Community Youth Project, McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Detecting K9, Angel Tree Program, Winter Whimsy, Velva Community Halloween Party, Velva Area Dollars for Scholars, and Velva Summer Fastpitch.

Source

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Northern Divide North Dakota Burke County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 74 200 2020
Developed, Owned, or Operated by NextEra Energy Resources

  • In 2019, Northern Divide wind project donated $14,000 to the Burke County Sheriffs Office to help purchase a new dog for its K-9 program, as well as helping to purchase a new K-9 vehicle and providing training to the handler and dog.

Source

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
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What Forms of Community Benefits Are Not Included in This Database?

CBAs and related forms of community benefits may be provided alongside other agreements or economic impacts that serve different purposes, such as:

  • Land lease payments to landowners that host wind turbines.
  • Project labor agreements for construction of wind energy projects.
  • Taxes or tax agreements like payment in lieu of taxes (PILOTs).
  • Direct compensation to impacted stakeholders, such as commercial fishermen.

This database does not include these other types of wind energy benefits, as they differ from CBAs and related benefit mechanisms in several key ways; namely, the community benefits included in this database are unrelated to taxation, are intended to provide benefits to the community as a whole rather than a specific group of people, like landowners, and are separate from impact mitigation measures required by permitting agencies.