Supporting Communities

We believe in supporting local communities through the development of renewable energy that provides financial and quality of life improvements for local government and its citizens.

We have seen that many major manufacturers consider access to renewable energy a key factor when deciding where to locate new facilities, providing communities with a ripple effect of economic benefits stemming from renewable energy projects.

Renewable Energy Community Benefits

Jobs

415,000 clean energy workers

The United States has a clean energy workforce (solar and wind) of 415,000.

Property Tax Revenue

Millions in property taxes will benefit communities (public infrastructure, public projects, parks, school enhancements, etc.)

Over $800 Million annually

Solar power delivers over $800 million a year in state and local tax payments to communities and landowner lease payments to farmers and ranchers.
Average annual payments of more than $7,000 per megawatt of installed wind capacity are common.

Landowner Income

Landowners who lease their land for renewable energy projects make additional income:

$706M in 2019 vs $1.3B in 2021

Wind energy projects on private land provided $706 million in land lease payments to rural landowners in 2019.
In 2021, $1.3 billion in lease payments were made to landowners across the country from solar lease agreements

Business Growth

Car manufacturers, data centers and tech companies are often attracted to locate in areas with access to renewable energy. Examples include:

Over $82M in additional investments in Iowa by Meta

Meta’s Altoona, Iowa data center, supported by 100% renewable energy sources, including solar. Meta has committed to additional investments in both wind and solar projects in Iowa, of over $82 million.

Increased Assessed Valuation

A solar project’s increased investment in a taxing district results in a higher assessed value for the district