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Study Links Rural Renewable Projects to Economic Gains
The report found wind and solar projects lifted GDP about 7% in host counties and added tax revenue without reducing farm jobs or wages.
- A new University of Missouri study reports that wind projects increased rural economic output by about 7%, while solar projects boosted employment and wages by 10% to 20% in utilities, construction, and transportation sectors.
- Simultaneously, the number of counties with renewable energy ordinances in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota grew by 45 percent over the past two years as local governments increasingly regulate wind and solar development.
- Despite concerns regarding farmland use, researchers found that renewable development was not associated with declining agricultural GDP, employment, or wages, even though 70 percent of large-scale solar and 94 percent of wind farms are built on cropland.
- Communities adopting reasonable regulations that permit development have seen economic benefits, according to Josh Moenning, director of New Power Nebraska, as the relationship between counties and developers continues to mature.
- Renew Missouri executive director James Owen noted that domestic power from wind and solar is more reliable than imported oil and gas, emphasizing these sources do not require transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
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12 Articles
Rural areas reap economic benefits from wind and solar projects, new Midwest study finds
Across the central U.S., more communities are passing ordinances to regulate renewable infrastructure development. A study examines the economic impact of renewable energy in rural areas.
·Madison, United States
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Rural areas reap economic benefits from wind and solar projects, new Midwest study finds - KFIZ News-Talk 1450 AM
By Jana Rose Schleis | Harvest Public Media New research shows wind and solar farms can bring economic gains to rural communities. Simultaneously, in some Midwestern and Great Plains states, […]
New research quantifies local economic impact of rural wind and solar buildout
A nationwide study by the Center for Rural Energy Security at the University of Missouri reveals that utility-scale wind projects deliver substantial, lasting boosts to county-level GDP, while solar developments generate more localized gains concentrated primarily in construction and utilities.
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