Landowners in Seneca County with property advantageous for generating electricity with wind power are being actively courted by several companies.
But the benefits of wind turbines go beyond rental payments to farmers, said Dale Arnold, director of energy services for the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. They are being seen as an opportunity for economic development in rural areas to replace the need for housing developments.
Arnold, who was invited to speak at Tiffin-Seneca Public Library Thursday evening by the League of Women Voters, said wind turbines could be a boon to Seneca County.
"We are starting a process, not ending one," he said as he started his presentation.
As an example using averages from several companies, Arnold said landowners would be paid $7,000-$10,000 a year per megawatt in rent for the two acres each turbine occupies, plus royalties on sales from electricity generated.
In addition, he said communities and schools can expect about $10,000 in real estate, sales and other tax revenue per megawatt. And while turbines are being erected, he said about 15 short-term jobs are created and 0.6 long-term jobs.
Wind turbines such as the four off US 6 west of Bowling Green are rated at 1.9 megawatts.
"People are looking at wind turbines instead of housing developments as another strategy for economic development," Arnold said. They can generate electricity-and money for the community-while allowing land to remain in agricultural production.
Arnold said the benefits extend even further into creating jobs.
"In manufacturing, Ohio is second only to California in its capacity to manufacture wind turbine parts," he said.
He said individuals interested in finding out the wind potential on their property can use a free online tool. Go to the Ohio Department of Development's Web site-www.odod.state.oh.us-and type "Wind Resource Explorer" into the search box at the top of the page.
The tool can show the wind potential of an area as small as 200 acres at heights of 50, 75 and 100 meters, he said.
"Everything west of I-71 has potential for wind development," he said.
Arnold said the site is undergoing an update so it might not be available for a few weeks.
Arnold said the companies contacting landowners are not choosing sites randomly.
"When that representative of a company contacts an individual, that is not a cold call," he said. "That's about three years in the making."
He said 17 companies are looking at different areas of Ohio, including four or five in the western and eastern parts of Seneca County.
When they look at a site, Arnold said the average company is looking to meet several criteria: 10 open acres for construction, two open acres for long-term operations, 750 feet from a public road, 400 feet from a property line, 1,000 fee from any exsting building and 800 feet between turbines.
In addition, the location must be far enough away from restricted flight paths to an airport, be close enough to electric transmission lines and not contain tall structures, wood lots, wildlife habitat or wetlands.
"We're looking at staying away from environmentally sensitive areas," Arnold said.
The availability of transmission lines is the advantage Ohio has over western states, Arnold said. Ohio is the only state where two major networks of transmission lines intersect. The electricity generated can be immediately placed in the grid and used by people from Manitoba, Canada, to all parts of the United States.
"The biggest challenge other states have is not putting up turbines, but building the transmission capacity," he said.
Wind power isn't the only alternative energy form Seneca County should be looking at, Arnold said.
"There are some wonderful things coming with regard to solar technology," he said. "Some developers are building homes that are totally solar. If you drive by, you wouldn't know it."
Arnold said Toledo is changing from the "Glass City" to the "Solar City" and the Cleveland area is investing in fuel cell research.
