Wind power is benefiting schools across the U.S.

We spend a lot of time and ink talking about the many benefits of wind energy: well-paying jobs, economic development, consumer savings, and environmental benefits, among many other positives. However, there’s one area we haven’t gone into in great detail– benefits to local schools districts.

With schools across the country back in session, now is a great time to take a look at how wind energy can help our students. All week long, we’ll be sharing stories about how wind has created greater opportunities for students, and we encourage you to participate by sharing your own stories on social media, tagging them with #WindPoweredSchools.

Rural communities (where wind projects are usually built) often have small populations and low tax bases. That means in these towns, school budgets can be constrained.

Wind projects help alleviate this pressure.

Mechanisms vary depending on the town and state, but when wind farms are built, they often either increase property tax revenue or make payments directly to the school budget. This allows local schools to improve facilities, offer new resources to students and start special programs that can open doors to new possibilities. In many instances, it also leads to tax cuts for town residents, since school funding is no longer 100 percent reliant on tax revenue. In some cases, wind farm payments allow schools to stay open when a previous lack of funding would have forced them to close or merge with another district.

So make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter all week to see how wind power is creating a better learning environment for students across the U.S., and share your own stories about #WindPoweredSchools. We look forward to hearing them!