Community wind energy

Community shared ownership

In a community-based model, the developer/manager of a wind farm shares ownership of the project with area landowners and other community members. While the renewables sector often spearheads shared ownership initiatives, communities can proactively invite participation from renewable energy firms. This mutually beneficial collaboration can prove advantageous for both sides. Property owners whose land was used for the wind farm are generally given a choice between a monthly cash lease and ownership units in the development.

Cooperative

A wind turbine cooperative, also known as a wind energy cooperative, is a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise that follows the cooperative model, investing in wind turbines or wind farms. The cooperative model was developed in Denmark. The model has also spread to Germany, the Netherlands, Australia and United Kingdom, with isolated examples elsewhere. At a European level, REScoop.eu advocates for renewable energy cooperatives to have fair access to the market, linking individual cooperatives and federations under its umbrella, representing around 1,000,000 citizens and 1,500 cooperatives.

Municipal

Some places have enacted policies to encourage development of municipally owned and operated wind turbines on town land. These projects are publicly owned and tax exempt. An example is the Hull Wind One project in Massachusetts' Boston Harbor in 2001. A 660 kW wind turbine was installed, and is still a great example of small scale commercial wind.