Rapid adoption of clean energy projects — specifically wind and solar — is crucial for Wisconsin to reach its goal of carbon-free electricity generation by 2050. Luckily, energy developers have proposed new solar and wind projects that will bring us closer to achieving our goal.
The statewide benefits for adopting clean energy are clear: It’s cheaper, cleaner, and would bring tens of thousands of new jobs to the state. Instead of spending roughly $14 billion to import fossil fuels from out of state, Wisconsin could add $16 billion to the state economy by transitioning our energy grid to one powered entirely by renewable energy. We would also save billions in avoided health damages from air pollution caused by burning fossil fuels.
But what about benefits at the local level? Those are abundant, too.
“There’s a transformative impact at the township level for hosting renewable energy,” Rural Energy Campaign Manager Rick Coelho says.
Whether it’s a wind or solar project, communities that host projects over 50 megawatts will get $5,000 per megawatt (MW), per year. For a project like Uplands Winds — a 600 MW wind project proposed in Lafayette, Iowa, and Grant counties — the host communities will split $3 million every year for roughly 30 years. That money can then be used to repair roads, buy emergency response equipment and invest in so much more.
Many farmers’ family roots stretch deeper than those of the crops they’ve grown for generations, and that consistent connection to the land is what helps hold smaller rural communities together. Over the past few decades though, economic pressures have made traditional family farms more expensive to manage with slimmer profit margins.
But there’s opportunities for them too.
Renewable energy projects, many of which have 30-year lifespans, can work as a lifeline by providing a new form of consistent revenue. Income from leasing land to developers or utilities for solar farms or wind projects can also serve as the backbone for decades of financial planning, meaning more stability for farmers and the communities they live in.
“We’re losing a lot of family farms that are being bought out by these massive companies,” Local Partnerships Manager Kaysee Beckstrom says, “and if we can maintain more of them and this is an avenue to do it, that could be really compelling.”
Under the right conditions, the land itself can even benefit from these renewable energy projects. A break from consistent farming helps restore soil health by letting native plants take root, reducing erosion and sequestering carbon at the same time. Healthier soil also means less agricultural runoff, which helps improve local water quality.
“Farmers are definitely some of the best stewards of the land we have. They know how impactful these soil health and water quality benefits can be, and they can speak to their communities in a really meaningful way,” Beckstrom says.
Change for any community can be cause for concern, especially in communities that have been excluded from economic opportunities over the past several decades. Those concerns need to be considered, and those communities need to be included in the decision-making process. After all, they know their communities and the land better than anyone else.
Listening helps build trust, and trust is what it’s going to take to get everyone aligned with the clean energy transition. That transition has the potential to bring unprecedented positive change to communities around the state.
“This could be a story of empowerment,” Coelho says. “This could be a story of change that leads to benefits for your community.”
Be sure to join Clean Wisconsin’s Action Network to be notified about opportunities to support Uplands Wind, Badger Hollow, Vista Sands and other clean energy projects around the state.
