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
Rippey Iowa Greene County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 20 50 2012
Developed, Owned, or Operated by RPMA / Greenbacker

  • Rippey Wind has donated to local organizations, including $1,000 to the Greene County Animal Facility and a donation to the Friends of Rippey to support refurbishment of a baseball field.

Source

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Southern Hills Expansion Iowa Adams County, Union County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 36 131 2020
Developed, Owned, or Operated by MidAmerican Energy

  • MidAmerican contributed $83,000 to the Adair County Fairgrounds, which was used to establish the MidAmerican Energy Arena, a newly renovated arena for community events like animal shows. The arena opened in 2020, with funding coming from revenues from multiple MidAmerican wind projects in the county.

Source

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Storm Lake Iowa Buena Vista County, Cherokee County Donation/support to local cause Non-financial Land-based wind energy project 251 185 1999
Developed, Owned, or Operated by NRG Energy / ALLETE Clean Energy

  • Storm Lake Wind has supported community organizations and events, including the Sioux Rapids Fire Protection Agency, Cherokee Youth Summer Ball Association, National Child Safety, Alta Sire, Alta Library After School Program, Aurelia Fire Department, The Lord’s Cupboard Food Pantry, Mid Sioux, Cherry House, Peterson Fire Fundraiser, and Jump Rope for Heart.

  • In 2023, ALLETE Clean Energy donated $17,000 to the Alta Firemen’s Association in Alta, IA, near the Storm Lake wind facility. The donation went toward upgrades to a brush truck, enhancing its ability to respond to off-road, wildland, and field fires.

  • When repowering the Storm Lake project in 2019, ALLETE installed 39 miles of fiber-optic cable, expanding Internet access in the community.

Sources

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Turtle Creek Iowa Mitchell County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 56 199.2 2018
Developed, Owned, or Operated by EDP Renewables

  • In 2020, the Prairie Star, Pioneer Prairie, and Turtle Creek wind projects teamed up with their parent company, EDP Renewables, to donate $5,000 to the Mitchell County Food Bank and $8,000 to the Channel One Food Bank. Channel One used the funds for local food shelves serving Spring Valley, LeRoy, and Grand Meadow, as well as providing general support for their efforts to assist families throughout the region.

Source

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Bloom Kansas Ford County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 54 178 2017
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Capital Power

  • Capital Power has supported community organizations and events, including the Kansas Food Bank Warehouse, Minneola Wellness Center, Minneola After Prom, Minneola Fire Department, and Ford County Fire & EMS.

Source

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Buckeye Kansas Ellis County Donation/support to local cause Non-financial Land-based wind energy project 112 200 2015
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Invenergy

  • In 2021, the Buckeye wind farm donated gardening supplies to three local high schools for their gardens and greenhouses, which are used as tools to teach students about agriculture and composting. Across the three schools, Buckeye donated a dual compost tumbler, a solar water pump, and various gardening supplies such as an expandable hose, rake, two-cycle mini cultivator, wheelbarrow, trowels and pruning shears.

  • In 2018, after wildfires spread through farms in Ellis County, Invenergy and construction partner Blattner Energy transported supplies of hay to replace what farmers had lost in the fire. in total, 15 loads of hay (325 tons) were delivered.

  • Invenergy provides an annual training exercise with county public safety personnel and annually donates to the fire department to help pay for personal protective equipment.

Source

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Cimarron Bend I, II, & III Kansas Clark County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 274 599 2016, 2017, 2020
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Enel Green Power

  • Since 2021, Enel has invested over $135,000 in local programs in the city of Minneola, including $35,000 donated to first responders, $10,000 to support sustainable health and safety, and $80,000 for education initiatives such as scholarships, KidWind Challenges, and technology for students.

  • Following wildfires in Clark County in 2017, Enel partnered with the Ashland Community Foundation and the Kansas Livestock Association to help provide immediate relief.

Sources

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Diamond Vista Kansas Marion County Fund Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 95 299 2018
Developed, Owned, or Operated by Enel Green Power

  • During the wind project's construction, Enel Green Power supported construction of a new library and an educational space that provides renewable energy education.

  • Enel has partnered with Cloud County Community College Wind Tech program to provide students with scholarships in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs

  • Enel has partnered with the local non-profit grocery store, Tampa Trails Stop, on local food programs.

  • Enel has worked with the Tampa School District to improve their math, science, engineering and technical skills courses.

Sources

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
East Fork Kansas Thomas County Fund Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 72 195.8 2020
Developed, Owned, or Operated by ENGIE

  • East Fork has established a scholarship fund with Colby Community College.

  • East Fork has formed donation agreements with schools in the project area.

Sources

Verified by WINDExchange on Aug. 1, 2024
Flat Ridge III Kansas Kingman County Donation/support to local cause Land-based wind energy project 62 128 2021
Developed, Owned, or Operated by AEP / Apex Clean Energy

  • In April 2020, AEP Renewables donated $10,000 to BrightHouse, an organization providing support to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence in Hutchinson, Kansas.

  • In December 2020, AEP Renewables donated $1,000 to Pratt Toys for Tots and $1,000 to Kansas Food Bank. is helping to make the holidays a little brighter for families in Kingman County, Kansas.

Sources

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.