Rhea Landholm, brand marketing and communications manager, [email protected], 402.687.2100 ext 1025
LYONS, NEBRASKA – In 2017, 18 percent of Minnesota’s energy needs were met by wind power, according to a fact sheet released today by the Center for Rural Affairs.
The publication, “Minnesota wind energy tax revenue,” highlights the tax revenue contributions of 3,699 megawatts of installed wind energy capacity—totaling $12.7 million in 2018.
“Many people wonder what their community will get out of wind development,” said Lu Nelsen, policy associate at the Center for Rural Affairs and author of the publication. “New tax revenue from a wind farm is something that benefits an entire community.”
Tax revenue from wind projects in Minnesota is derived from the state’s wind energy production tax. The tax is assessed on a wind energy project based on its total capacity of energy production.
Small-scale wind energy systems with a capacity of 0.25 megawatts to 2 megawatts pay $0.12 per megawatt hour while systems with a capacity between 2 and 12 megawatts pay $0.36 per megawatt hour. The largest systems in the state, those with a capacity above 12 megawatts, pay $1.20 per megawatt hour.
“As Minnesotans move toward a renewable future, increased tax revenue from wind projects will be a tool for small towns across the state,” Nelsen said. “Communities can make use of new revenue generated by projects to fund critical functions like schools and emergency services without raising local taxes.”
For more information and to view the fact sheet, visit cfra.org/publications.
