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
Chisholm View Oklahoma Garfield County, Grant County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 140 235 2012
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Tradewind Energy / Enel Green Power

  • In 2014, Chisholm View donated $50,000 to a capital campaign for the Leonardo's Children's Museum. The campaign was launched to raise $6 million for renovations and $2 million dedicated to the endowment fund to support the museum's long-term needs.

Sources

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Diamond Spring Oklahoma Johnston County, Pontotoc County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 112 303 2020
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Apex Clean Energy / ALLETE Clean Energy

  • In 2021, ALLETE Clean Energy and other companies provided $105,000 in grants to the Roff, Sulphur and Tishomingo school districts near the Diamond Spring wind site. The grants were used for pandemic-related expenses related to remote learning and safety, including computers and internet access for students and teachers, and personal protective equipment for school staff and students. ALLETE Clean Energy donated $73,000 for the three school district grants, with the other funds coming from law firms, a construction engineering firm, Apex Clean Energy, and a construction contractor for the wind project.

  • In 2020, ALLETE Clean Energy, GE Renewable Energy, and Wanzek provided a $50,000 grant to the Mill Creek School District. The school district will use most of the money to support remote learning through the purchase of 70 iPads for students and 16 laptops for teachers.

  • Diamond Spring Wind has supported community organizations, including Mill Creek Future Farmers of America & 4H students.

Sources

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Drift Sand Oklahoma Grady County Donation/support to local cause Non-financial Land-based wind energy project 54 108 2016
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Enel Green Power

  • In 2019, Enel Green Power presented $70,440 in financial support toward education, quality of life, and emergency response efforts in Rush Springs and Chickasha. In Rush Springs, this included $23,500 to Rush Springs Public Schools toward the purchase of 110 laptops for students; $5,000 to the local Lions Club for the town's signature annual Watermelon Festival; $20,000 for infrastructure upgrades throughout the town; and $8,500 toward training initiatives at the Rush Springs Fire Department. In Chickasha, $13,440 was given to the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma to support student nutrition through the Campus Co-Op food pantry, performing arts experiences for low-income communities through the Davis Waldorf Performing Arts Series, service to local clients at the John A. Morris Speech and Language Clinic, wnr learning and research opportunities through the USAO Observatory.

  • In 2018, Enel donated to Chickasha Public Schools and Rush Springs Public Schools. Chickasha planned to use the funds for STEM related programs for grades pre-K through high school, including the high school robotics team. Rush Springs planned to use funding to support their Alpha Plus educational program for elementary, middle, and high school students.

  • In 2016, Enel supported the Rush Springs School District's One-to-One technology program that provides laptops to students, enabling the school to purchase 50 laptops.

  • Enel has provided renewable energy training to teachers.

Sources

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Elk City I Oklahoma Roger Mills County Fund Land-based wind energy project 43 98.9 2009
Developed, Owned, or Operated by ACCIONA Energy

  • When dedicating the Elk City I project in 2009, ACCIONA announced it will provide the Hammon School District with an annual scholarship of $5,000 to be awarded to a graduating senior each year.

Source

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Frontier I & II Oklahoma Kay County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 135 550 2016, 2020
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Duke Energy Renewables

  • As of 2022, Duke Energy Foundation had awarded nearly $39,000 in grants through its Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions fund to support schools, community enrichment programs and wildlife rescue organizations in Kay, Washington, and Payne counties. Grants have gone to Nature’s Vein Wildlife Rescue, community education programs, George Miksch Sutton Avian Research Center, city of Newkirk, Newkirk Youth Program, Kildare Public Schools, Newkirk Public Schools, Marland's Place Foster Families Services, and Newkirk Future Farmers of America and 4H Boosters program.

Sources

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Goodwell Oklahoma Texas County Donation/support to local cause Fund Land-based wind energy project 100 200 2015
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Enel Green Power

  • In 2018, Enel Green Power donated $15,000 to support educational initiatives in the Guymon and Goodwell Public School Districts. Goodwell Public Schools put the funds toward purchasing laptops and a charging cart to create a mobile computer lab for junior high students. Guymon Public Schools used their funding for their Stuff the Bus campaign to buy school supplies for students and teachers.

  • Enel donated $150,000 to Oklahoma Panhandle State University, which is in the town of Goodwell, to establish scholarships. The funds support Pathways to Success and Panhandle’s Future initiatives, benefiting students at Panhandle State and High Plains Technology Center pursuing wind technology degrees.

Sources

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Horizon Hill Oklahoma Logan County Payment to government outside of an agreement Land-based wind energy project 33 202 2023
Developed, Owned, or Operated by TransAlta

  • In 2023, Horizon Hill Wind contributed $500 to District #3, a unit of government in the Logan County government.

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Keenan II Oklahoma Woodward County Donation/support to local cause Non-financial Land-based wind energy project 66 152 2010
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Competitive Power Ventures

  • Since development of the project began in 2008, Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) has supported local organizations and events, including local fire departments, academic fundraisers, the Future Farmers of America Premium Auction, the Woodward Elks Rodeo, local family service programs, Woodward Education Foundation, High Plains Technology Center, and the Hope Center’s food pantry.

  • In 2010, Oklahoma Gas & Electric voluntarily donated $4.9 million to the state wildlife department for protection of prairie chicken habitat in conjunction with Keenan II; funds were to be used for projects such as conservation easements to protect undeveloped land and the state's acquisition of 6,100 acres of land in Beaver County to protect and restore habitat for lesser prairie chickens. Oklahoma Gas & Electric is the utility that purchases power from the wind project.

  • CPV participated in the development of the wind technology program at High Plains Tech Center in Woodward, OK.

Sources

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Maverick Oklahoma Major County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 103 288 2021
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Tradewind / Invenergy

  • In 2022, following several grass fires in Drummond, OK, Maverick Wind donated funds to purchase a new command vehicle for the Major County Task Force to improve emergency response and communication with firefighters, police, and medical responders.

Source

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Origin Oklahoma Murray County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 75 150 2014
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Enel Green Power

  • In 2019, Origin Wind donated $43,000 to the Hennepin Volunteer Fire Department for essential equipment upgrades. The donation will be used to improve safety equipment, including rebuilding a tanker truck and purchasing a new jaws of life, a critical tool for rescue operations at car accident scenes.

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.