WIND POWER

Harnessing our region’s plentiful wind resources offers an opportunity to move towards energy independence while reducing air pollution and the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Wind energy is a clean, emission-free, locally generated source of energy. Wind energy has tremendous potential in the Northeast and benefits public health, our environment, and the economy.

Why Wind Works

The environmental benefits of wind power are unparalleled. Wind power requires zero fuel and generates zero emissions. It is locally generated energy that contributes to better human health, reduces dependence on fossil fuels, and helps to reverse some of the most serious environmental threats from acid rain and climate change. It truly is an investment in our future.

Wind is also an investment in our communities. Wind energy development brings with it jobs and tax revenues. Wind turbines can help farmers keep their farms, by giving them a second "crop" when they harvest the revenues from wind generation on their land. Smaller wind turbines can help individuals, companies, schools, and municipalities reduce their energy costs.

Adding new fossil fuel generation to meet our energy needs is too costly for ratepayers, public health, and our environment. Elevated levels of asthma and respiratory problems, which have been linked to fossil fuel combustion, persist throughout the Northeast. Investing in renewable energy, such as wind power, is a win-win. Over the next 20 years, ratepayers can look forward to cleaner energy production and enjoy stable wind power costs, unlike unpredictable and rising fossil fuel costs.

The clean energy revolution has already begun! A growing number of ratepayers and municipalities have made the switch to clean renewable energy for their electricity needs, demonstrating a high demand for wind energy. New York State has made a strong commitment to renewable energy production, enacting a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), which will require 30% of the electricity sold in NYS to come from a renewable source by 2015.

Educational Tools and Additional Information About Wind Power Made Available by the NYWEC

The New York Wind Education Collaborative (NYWEC) is a joint effort of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Pace Energy and Climate Center, and Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACE NY) and is co-sponsored by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). NYWEC's goal is to increase the public’s understanding of wind power issues, in the belief that a better informed public can participate more meaningfully in the environmental review process and other public discussions surrounding proposed wind facilities.

The educational materials developed by NYWEC, and PowerPoint presented during a NYWEC-sponsored public event, are available via the links below.