Environmental Policy Commons^™

A Maine Guide For Developing Community Wind Projects, Rick Harbison

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

In recent decades, wind power has emerged as one of the fastest-growing sources of energy in the United States. By the end of 2011, 46,919 megawatts (MW) of wind power had been installed across the country.1 A number of factors have driven this growth, chief among them are: technological innovation, increasing public support for renewable energy, and state and federal policies that encourage wind development.

While the predominant model for wind development in the United States—and Maine—has been large-scale commercial wind farms, a small but growing sector of wind development, known as “community wind,” is beginning to gain a foothold. …