Wind Energy
While the local conservation community supports renewable energy development, impacts of forest clearing and road building for wind turbine towers and transmission pose significant threats to wildlife and ecosystems along the region's ridgelines
Industrial wind energy emerged as a major land use issue in the northern Shenandoah Valley in 2008, with unofficial reports that Freedom Works LLC of Harpers Ferry, WVA was considering plans to build a massive project (130 turbines, each 440-feet tall) along the spine of Church Mountain in Rockingham and Shenandoah Counties.
SVNs work with citizens groups and local governments to ensure adequate zoning ordinances to address the benefits and impacts of the three scales of wind energy: small systems that serve a home, farm or business on site; medium-size systems that serve a cluster of homes, farms or businesses on site; and large industrial-scale commercial projects that generate power for sale off site.
Current Issues
As wind energy becomes more popular, the Shenandoah Valley will likely see many applications for commercial wind energy. Keep up with county zoning ordinances and find out how SVN and our partners are working to protect the region from irreversible harm.
Resources
Information on wind energy, including press releases, links, and maps of potential wind resources.
