The Eight Point Wind Energy Center offers clear benefits for the local community, by strengthening Steuben County’s renewable energy leadership position.
Benefits for the Local Community
Eight Point Wind is expected to deliver new jobs, taxes and economic development to Steuben County and the towns of Greenwood and West Union.
- Once operational, the project is estimated to provide more than $40 million in revenue to local governments to support schools, infrastructure and vital services such as fire departments.
- Payments to landowners are estimated to be $25 million over the 30-year expected life of the project.
- Temporary construction employment will likely be drawn from the Steuben County and the Southern Tier labor market to the greatest extent possible. Local construction employment will primarily benefit those in the construction trades, including equipment operators, truck drivers, laborers, and electricians. NextEra Energy Resources encourages local hiring to the greatest extent possible and workers from outside the area who fill specialized job functions will add to the regional economy by staying in area hotels, eating in the local restaurants and shopping in Steuben County stores.
Eight Point Wind will strengthen Steuben County’s position as a leader in renewable energy and help New York meet its renewable energy goals.
- The project is expected to produce enough clean, renewable energy electricity to power up to more than 46,500 New York homes, build on Steuben County’s proven track record of wind energy success, and position the county as leaders in wind energy.
- New York’s clean energy goals are expanding and this wind energy center will help the state meet higher standards. Governor Cuomo recently announced that New York should produce half of its total power from renewable sources by 2030 and projects like this will help meet that need.
- This new source of clean, renewable power produces no air or water pollution and is in line with the state’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) initiative, which is fostering new opportunities for renewable power and new wind generation that will help New York transform its energy generation system.
With a nearly 30-year track record of safely building and operating wind energy centers, NextEra Energy Resources is the right partner for Steuben County.
- NextEra Energy Resources understands how to safely construct and maintain wind energy centers, in a way that properly protects the environment and community, because they have been doing it for nearly 30 years. Owning and operating 110 wind farms in the United States and Canada, the company was the world’s largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun in 2014, the most recent year for which data are available.
- NextEra Energy Resources currently operates two power plants in New York and continues to develop new wind and transmission projects in the State.
- NextEra Energy Resources’ environmental team has the expertise to address concerns and develop appropriate strategies that minimize effects on wildlife. Furthermore, the company uses modern technology that mitigates noise issues for neighbors.
