Illinois is seeing a major expansion of renewable energy, alongside a power struggle over who gets to call the shots. Now, communities are being asked to consider how to make the growth work for them.
The state has more than 13,000 megawatts of installed wind and solar capacity combined and this summer, regulators approved another 1,500 megawatts of new renewable projects.
Jeff Risley, executive director of the advocacy group Renewable Energy Farmers of America, said skeptical communities should look beyond whether they can stop a project and consider what they can gain through what he called a community benefit agreement.
"Which is essentially a contract between the community and the developer to deliver benefits beyond just the taxes that they're paying," Risley explained.
Risley pointed to Illinois projects where developers have helped pay for local needs. He said a wind farm in Tazewell County contributed about $1 million for road improvements, while a Ford County wind project has provided roughly $40,000 a year to the Paxton Fire Department for about a decade.
Renewable development faces scrutiny in some communities, particularly over farmland and local control. Illinois law gives counties some say over where projects go but limits how much they can restrict ones meeting state standards, a point now being tested in court.
While he believes renewable projects can be incredibly beneficial for communities, Risley noted not every project is a good fit.
"You've got all these different dynamics at play. We're not saying projects work everywhere for every landowner and every community. They often don't. But the exploration is what's necessary to decide if it will or not," Risley emphasized.
Risley added communities can raise legitimate concerns about land use and community character but rural leaders should focus on making sure early on, locals are benefiting from renewable projects.
He stressed more and more towns are enacting local ordinances to protect their land, environment and residents without shutting the door on renewable development.
Illinois News Connection originally published this story.
