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
Sendero Texas Jim Hogg County, Zapata County Fund Land-based wind energy project 39 78 2015
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Constellation Energy

  • The Brownsville Public Utilities Board awards $1,000 scholarships through its Project SHARE Scholarship program. The program is funded in part by Constellation Energy, the owner of the Sendero wind farm.

Sources

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Spinning Spur I & II Texas Oldham County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 157 322 2012, 2014
Developed, Owned, or Operated by EDF Renewables

  • During the Spinning Spur I ribbon-cutting and Spinning Spur II groundbreaking in 2013, EDF Renewables presented the Oldham County Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture with a $2500 donation.

Source

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Stanton Texas Martin County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 80 120 2008
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Invenergy

  • Stanton Wind provides an annual donation to Martin County EMS to support local fire, medical, and emergency services. Stanton Wind also participates in annual ladder and up-tower rescue drills with local EMS professionals.

  • In 2023, Stanton Wind sponsored a Veteran's Day lunch at the Martin County Senior Citizens Center.

Sources

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Stella Texas Kenedy County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 67 201 2018
Developed, Owned, or Operated by RWE

  • During the Stella Wind grand opening in 2019, RWE contributed to a $66,000 donation to Kenedy County Fire and Emergency Services to help purchase new equipment; Nordex and IEA Infrastructure Construction, also involved in the Stella Wind project, joined RWE in making the donation.

Source

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Stephens Ranch I Texas Borden County, Lynn County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 118 211 2014
Developed, Owned, or Operated by WindTex Energy / Starwood Energy Group

  • In 2014, following the completion of Stephens Ranch I, WindTex Energy donated $5,000 to Borden County for a helipad lighting project. WindTex also donated $5,000 to Lynn County in 2014, which was to be used for improvements to the Veterans' War Memorial triangle near the county courthouse.

Sources

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Stephens Ranch II Texas Lynn County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 92 165 2015
Developed, Owned, or Operated by WindTex Energy / Starwood Energy Group

  • In 2019, Stephens Ranch II donated between $5,000-10,000 to the West Texas Food Bank.

Source

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Sweetwater Wind 3 Texas Nolan County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 90 135 2005
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Leeward Energy / Duke Energy

  • In 2020, Sweetwater Wind 3 contributed $5,000 to the Sweetwater Goodfellow annual holiday toy drive.

  • Leeward Energy has supported the Ridin for Cash Bull Bash event, which raises funds for visually impaired children in the community.

Sources

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Tahoka Texas Lynn County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 120 300 2018
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Lincoln Clean Energy / Ørsted

  • In 2018, Lincoln Clean Energy donated $30,000 from the Tahoka Wind project to the Lynn County Senior Citizens Pioneer Center, aiding them in their $110,000 renovation goal.

  • Ørsted has supported community organizations and events, including the child advocacy group C.A.S.A., Tahoka Lil Dribblers, KidWind, and a backpack and school supplies giveaway at the Tahoka County Library.

Sources

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Torrecillas Texas Webb County, Duval County Fund Non-financial Land-based wind energy project 120 302.5 2018
Developed, Owned, or Operated by NextEra Energy Resources

  • During the groundbreaking ceremony for the project in 2018, AT&T (the power purchaser for the energy generated by the project) announced a scholarship program for students pursuing careers as wind turbine technicians. AT&T made a $50,000 contribution to Texas State Technical College to establish the AT&T Wind Energy Scholarship fund. Scholarships are exclusively available to students earning a wind energy degree or certificate who are from counties with AT&T-backed wind farms, including Webb, Duval, Wilbarger, and Hardeman Counties. Additionally, the scholarship supports a new wind energy program at Webb County Consolidated Independent School District, one of the few high schools in the nation to host its own wind technician program.

  • NextEra Energy Resources contributed a wind turbine gearbox to the Webb County Consolidated Independent School District for hands-on training.

Source

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Trent Mesa Texas Nolan County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 83 156 2001
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Invenergy / AEP Renewables

  • In April 2020, AEP Renewables donated $10,000 to the Community Foundation of Abilene in Abilene, TX.

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.