Wind Power Brings Computers To Ohio Schools

March 21st, 2015 by Cynthia Shahan

The Federal Production Tax Credit (PTC) for wind energy is often the center of discussion when it comes to US wind energy. But something that seems obvious often seems to get overlooked: the PTC is an investment in America. In some cases, vital building blocks of America (such as schools) are making a great deal of money on wind power, and investing it back into our greatest human and economic resources (such as our kids). “In revenue-needy communities across America: Wind power is delivering dollars,” AWEA writes.

We’ve experience of this in Texas, where schools have gotten a huge boost from wind power revenue. Now we’re seeing similar news from Ohio. Into the Wind, an AWEA blog, continues:

Recently, wind energy developer Iberdrola Renewables joined state legislators in presenting checks to local officials in the two counties that are home to the Blue Creek Wind Farm in Ohio. Van Wert County, with 115 turbines, will receive more than $2 million, making the wind farm the largest single taxpayer in the county. Paulding County will receive $666,000, based on the 37 turbines located in the county, with each turbine paying $18,000 per year.

As multiliteracies is the way of modern education, decent computers in schools are a must. Into the Wind reports that lack of computers in Ohio is now a past issue, thanks to wind: “The communities hosting the Blue Creek Wind Farm are already seeing benefits. Local school superintendent Jeff Snyder said wind farm funds have helped his school district go from having two computer labs in the entire district to now being able to provide all 915 of its students with a computer.”

“That upgrade has created such a synergy and excitement with our students, teachers, and parents, as we are using new instructional techniques every day in the classroom,” he said. “In the coming years, we’ll expand on this growth and collaborate with local businesses to provide opportunities for our students and grow the economy here in Van Wert County.”





Hopefully, green business such as the wind industry will contribute to greener schools as well. In the meantime, Into the Wind continues to inform that, in 2008, “a study by GE Energy Financial Services found that for wind farms built in 2007, the PTC more than paid for itself through tax revenues from project income, vendors’ profits, and individual worker wages.” Wind energy projects foster economic growth. This growth is found in jobs and new businesses. It is also tax revenue and community development.

“Today’s payments highlight the importance of wind energy to northwestern Ohio,” said State Senator Cliff Hite (R-Findlay) about the Iberdrola project. “Harnessing the natural resources available in our area has attracted good jobs, produced local economic benefits, and given us energy security. This wind farm is further proof that Ohioans benefit when we work to attract new investment in our rural communities.”

In a previous CleanTechnica article, “American Wind Energy Rebounded In 2014: AWEA,” we explained that, “the PTC encouraged $125 billion worth of investment across America, created 500 US manufacturing facilities, and resulted in technological innovations that lowered wind energy’s costs by more than half over the last five years.”

Related Stories:

Which states win and which states lose on the Production Tax Credit?

Wind Turbine Commercial Shows How Wind Turbines Are “Like A Boss”

Texas Schools Get Huge Improvements from Wind Farm Revenues

Image by thart2009, via Foter & Flickr (CC BY 2.0)









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