HONEY CREEK WIND

Apex Clean Energy is in the middle stages of developing Honey Creek Wind, a wind energy project located in Crawford County. Honey Creek will bring economic growth to the local community and help preserve the area’s agricultural heritage.

Preliminary plans show that Honey Creek Wind may include approximately 60 wind turbines, placed on land leased from participating landowners.

PROJECT SUMMARY

• Planned to be located on open farmland in rural Crawford County
• Capable of producing up to 300 MW of clean, homegrown energy, enough to power approximately 85,000 U.S. homes each year
• Turbines will  be spaced approximately 1/4 to 1/2 mile apart on active farmland
• Each wind turbine, including the access road, typically requires less than half an acre of land
• Existing high-voltage power lines and highways would limit the need for new infrastructure
• Farmers would continue farming their land with very limited disturbance
• Will represent a significant investment in the local economy, with revenues for farmers, local government, and schools
• Will create up to 100 jobs during construction

INVESTING IN CRAWFORD COUNTY

Honey Creek Wind will benefit the local economies in the near term with ongoing landowner payments, construction jobs, and local purchasing of materials and services. In the long term, the project will generate millions of dollars in tax revenue for the counties, local townships, and area school districts, as well as over 30 years of local purchasing, employment, and investment.

Landowners with wind facilities on their property will receive annual lease payments. These payments will continue over the projected 30-year lifespan of the wind farm, injecting millions of dollars into the area to support local merchants, contractors, equipment suppliers, auto dealers, and others.

Wind turbines complement working farms because they allow for existing agricultural operations to continue around them. In addition, they help farmers by diversifying the rural economy and providing a steady source of income during lean years.

The cost of wind energy has dropped more than 66% over the past decade, providing a cost-competitive source for clean electricity across the United States. In addition to new jobs and sustained investments in local communities, benefits of wind energy include reduced pollution, increased employment, water conservation, and increased American energy independence.

LOCAL ECONOMIC BENEFITS

These economic estimates are for total payments and jobs over full life of the project. 

• $81 million to Crawford County over the life of the project ($2.7 million per year)
• Approximately $45 million in landowner payments 
• Up to $30 million in school payments
• Up to $15 million in township payments
• Up to 100 local jobs during construction