A small town in northern New South Wales has become an epicentre for renewable energy, with hundreds of millions of dollars being invested in wind and solar farms.

Perched on the Great Dividing Range, Glen Innes gets wind from all directions and as turbines fill the skies, the local economy is reaping significant gains.

For up to 30 landowners, having turbines on their land is an opportunity to "drought-proof" their income.

Tim Moses, a second-generation cattle producer is diversifying.

Tim Moses has 14 wind turbines being constructed on his property. ( ABC News: Philippa McDonald )

"There's going to be 14 turbines on my land generating 50.4 megawatts for the next 25 years," he told the ABC.

"These turbines aren't taking up much land at all … can't see them being invasive at all."

Mr Moses said they take up about seven hectares of his land and while construction has been disruptive, "it's been an amazing experience watching it develop".

The landowner has signed a confidentiality agreement with the wind farm's developer but acknowledged the project was a significant boost to his income and his wife had been able to take a break from her job.

"The royalties help educate my children, help improve the property," he said.

"It'll give me the flexibility to keep my cattle going through hard times, through droughts."

Just the start of renewable investment in NSW

Under deals being struck by wind farm developers, some neighbouring landowners are also offered compensation for having the turbines close to their land.

Sapphire Wind Farm, which is building turbines on Mr Moses' property, is set to be the largest in NSW.

"That would power 117,000 homes and the size of the turbines will go up 200 metres right to tip height," CWP Renewables managing director Alex Hewitt said.

It already has contracts signed to sell power to the ACT.

Alex Hewitt says CWP renewables is looking to invest $3 million in renewables projects in NSW over the next four years. ( ABC News: Philippa McDonald )

The concrete is being poured to erect 75 200-metre-high turbines and more than 200 60-metre blades have been transported from the port of Newcastle to the New England region.

Mr Hewitt told the ABC that solar farming and potentially battery storage were just the start of CWP Renewables' investment in NSW.

"Subject to the regulations being set and the right investment climate, we and our partners will be investing over $4 billion in the next four years."

The company has told the ABC it has received strong interest after canvassing the local community regarding an opportunity to invest in the $550 million project.

Goldwind, a major player in the international renewables market, has just completed phase one of its wind farm near Glenn Innes — the White Rock Wind Farm.

"Wind farms need to have good wind and the elevated area of the Great Dividing Range certainly provides that, the intersection of good wind and good grid connection are key," managing director John Titchen said.

Over the past two years Goldwind has built 70 turbines and it has approval for another 45.

Goldwind has also started construction of a solar farm with 70,000 panels to be installed in coming weeks.

Mr Titchen told the ABC significant effort was made to employ and source contractors and products locally.

"One of the things we've found in Glen Innes is that we've had great community support," he said.

A third wind farm closer to the town is still to get approval.

Glenn Innes has become an epicentre for renewable energy. ( ABC News: Philippa McDonald )

Visual impacts of massive turbines v business boost

While he has solar in the home, local Brian Winter is not so keen on the changing horizon.

"The size of them is the scary bit, they're massive," he said.

Mr Winter has just built a new home and could be looking out at a hill which he said could have up to six new turbines.

However, Glen Innes Mayor Steve Toms stressed there was a huge boost the region from the hundreds of millions of dollars being spent.

"It's been massive, we've had construction workers in the hundreds," he said.

"It's injected a lot of dollars as well and that's really what we're crying out for … economic development and investment."

Eileen Halloran runs a bakery in Glen Innes and has been able to employ a further four people because of the boom. ( ABC News: Philippa McDonald )

He acknowledged it had caused division in the area due to visual impacts but said "that's a very subjective thing".

Local baker Eileen Halloran said while the renewables building boom in town was not likely to reduce her "phenomenal" electricity bill, it had made a difference to her business and the town.

"It was a downer before, the town was in a bit of lull," she said.

Now her bakery opens an hour earlier and she has employed four more staff.

"It's brought more workers to town, so therefore it's bought more income and more jobs, more stability."