Wind power is an excellent choice for a variety of different applications: universities, manufacturing facilities, farms, resorts, and other businesses. Once you determine that your site has a viable wind resource you may want to reflect on the reasons you are considering a wind turbine in the first place: environmental commitment, energy independence, educational opportunities or cost savings. Most people fall somewhere in between but if you are primarily concerned with a specific payback period on your capital investment, it is important to review the retail costs of your current energy source as well as any state and federal incentives that are available to you such as grants, tax credits and net metering laws. That information will help you more specifically determine your return on investment (ROI) or payback period.

A Community sized turbine can fit into many different landscapes, whether it be a farm, suburban environment or a business complex, nevertheless you still need to make sure your site has ample wind and space around the turbine or turbines.  In addition to wind and space, there are many other factors to consider when planning a Community Wind Project from grid connection, to power usage, sub-stations and zoning.  Chariot Wind can offer you the understanding that you need to conquer these challenges and properly assess you project site.

Never before have there been so many exciting and compelling reasons to invest in wind energy.  The reality of a changing energy landscape has created the impetus to start thinking strategically about the sustainability of our energy future. Now is the time to make long-term capital investments and buffer ourselves against rising fuel costs and an uncertain energy future. Not only has wind technology evolved to such a point to make wind turbines an accessible piece of equipment that a school, community or business can purchase and install but the momentum exists in the political arena to help create a renewable energy infrastructure with robust state and federal incentive programs to support your wind project. By investing in wind power, you can realize cost savings, support energy independence and help stimulate a “green” economy.

Many Community Wind projects are eligible to take advantage of federal incentive programs such as grants and tax credits.  The political environment is in a constant state of flux and the incentive opportunities are far too numerous to list here.  Chariot Wind will be glad to assist you in understanding these programs.  Through partnerships with firms that specialize in understanding grants and tax incentives, we can offer you the financial expertise to understand the current financial and political climate.
If you are interested in conducting further research regarding the types of incentives and assistance may be available for your project, you can start by visiting http://www.dsireusa.org.

Renewable energy refers to energy generated from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat which are naturally replenished.  Wind power is growing at a rate of 30% annually with a worldwide installed capacity of 121,000 MW in 2008.  In 2009, the U.S. broke all the records by installing nearly 10,000 MW of new generating capacity (enough to power 2.4 million homes).  These new projects place wind power neck and neck with natural gas as the leading source of new electricity generation in the U.S.  Together, these two sources account for about 80% of the new capacity added in the country last year.  While most of these projects are large, utility scale projects, small on-site or community renewable energy projects are significantly on the rise.  In fact, community wind is one of the fastest growing sectors in the wind industry today.  In November of 2009, of the nearly 32,000 MW of installed wind capacity in the U.S., just over 1,400 MW were community owned.

Community Wind (or Distributed Wind) is based around the idea of producing power where it is used, promoting cost of energy savings and energy independence for those involved.  Community Wind is not defined by the amount of power produced or the source of it’s financing, but rather by the fact that power is being produced at the source of its need or “on-site”.  Community Wind projects are owned by a variety of individuals and organizations from local businesses, to municipalities, non-profit organizations, to small farms and agricultural co-ops, small rural electrical co-ops to Native American tribes.  These projects can range from one turbine to a community owned commercial scale wind farm.  Given all the differences, the key feature of Community Wind is that local community members have a significant financial stake in the project beyond just land-leases and tax revenue.