Wind farm development is occurring all over the United States, particularly in rural areas, where land owners such as farmers and ranchers lease their land to wind developers for extra income.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory reports that wind energy is growing, with it now accounting for 6.5% of the nation’s electricity supply. In the mostly rural states of Iowa, Kansas and Oklahoma, wind contributes more than 30% of the electricity used.
NREL researcher Eric Lantz offers a look at the attitudes surrounding wind turbines in the co-authored research article, ‘Attitudes of U.S. Wind Turbine Neighbors: Analysis of a Nationwide Survey.’ The results are good news for both wind energy developers and those living near wind energy facilities.