Mankind has been harnessing the power of the wind for many hundreds of years. Sailing ships facilitated early exploration and trade around the globe. And windmills were used to grind cereals and grain or to draw water from underground wells.
More recently, the power of the wind has become popular once again as a clean, renewable form of energy that can cut carbon emissions by replacing fossil fuel-powered electricity.
Wind energy projects are also popular with investors, but how do they meet your offsetting needs?
How Can Wind Contribute to a Low-Carbon Future?
Wind is especially useful as a source of clean, affordable energy because it blows almost everywhere in the world and, unlike solar energy, it is available both day and night.
Experts predict around 20% of the world’s electricity will come from wind turbines by 2030, rising to 25-30% by 2050, as wind power has become the lowest cost option when adding capacity to the grid in many countries.
This is great news for the planet, as it means billions of tons less carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere each year.
What Are The Social, Environmental and Economic Benefits of Wind Energy?
As well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, wind energy projects create both short- and long-term jobs and help to revitalize rural economies, providing new sources of income for agricultural communities.
A wind farm can supply affordable electricity to local people and businesses. In developed nations, this helps keep costs down and releases the budget that can be spent on other necessities. For example, the Indiana School Wind Project has helped install wind turbines that power school buildings. The money saved by the schools leaves more available TMto improve students’ education.
In less developed countries, wind turbines can bring electricity to rural villages for the first time, improving indoor air quality by replacing smoky oil-burning lamps. With the benefit of electric lighting, students can study longer and achieve higher levels of education, boosting their employment prospects.
Who Invests in Wind Energy Offset Projects?
Due to their size, and the need for an uninterrupted wind flow, wind turbines are best suited to rural and agricultural locations. Wind energy projects are ideal for farmland; since the turbine itself has a small footprint, the surrounding land can still be used for crops or grazing.
Wind energy projects have financial benefits for agricultural businesses in particular. The electricity generated can be used on the farm, cutting bills and supporting the farm’s economic sustainability, as well as improving their environmental credentials.
Although the ongoing operational and maintenance costs for wind turbines are low, the upfront investment needed to develop a project is high – sometimes too high, and that’s where we focus.
Since small businesses and communities often cannot finance the installation of wind turbines themselves, carbon offset projects that provide upfront funding are an ideal way to ensure such projects happen. Investing in NativeEnergy’s Help BuildTM offsets can accelerate the transition from fossil fuel to wind energy generation.
How Are Wind Energy Offset Projects Certified?
Wind energy offset projects must pass the same tests as other carbon offset schemes to ensure that carbon savings are genuine, quantifiable, permanent and additional.
The methodology for measuring carbon savings will include a rigorous process of third-party validation and verification to guarantee they meet internationally recognized carbon standards and demonstrate financial additionality.
Choosing an Experienced Wind Energy Offset Provider
Wind energy projects can be complex, but projects such as the Big Smile Wind Farm at Dempsey Ridge in Beckham and Roger Mills counties, Oklahoma, and the Greensburg Wind Farm in Greensburg, Kansas, demonstrate that wind energy offset projects can successfully save thousands of tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year.
NativeEnergy’s offset program provides funding to wind energy projects that otherwise would not happen. To invest in progressive offsets that support rural economic sustainability and the transition to renewable energy, contact us today.