FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

The height of a wind turbine for one of three proposed projects in Lincoln County is 600+ ft. tall.  For perspective the Devon Tower in Oklahoma is 844 tall.  The Statue of Liberty is 305 ft tall and the Seattle Space Needle is 605 ft. tall to the tip of the antenna spire.

Hub height of a wind turbine is measured from the ground to the middle of the turbine rotor.  Wind turbine height has grown in size from the early 2000’s on. This height has increased 73% since the late 1990s.  Blade lengths have also increased.  (Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy – Wind Turbines: The Bigger, the Better.  August 24, 2023 – energy.gov)

Wind-power initial leases often range from 20-30 years and often the wind-energy leasing company retains the option to extend the lease for an additional 20-25 years.  Property owners should be aware that the length and terms of the lease could affect estate plans.  It is often recommended to seek a legal opinion on how the terms of a lease might affect long term planning. (wind-watch.org) Often these leases support development with an all-or-nothing proposition and there is no turning back.

A lease may prohibit a landowner from doing improvements or projects that could obstruct the flow of wind over the surface of the leased property. Restrictions could include the height and location of structures.   Those might include barns, grain bins, cell towers, homes and trees. This could put limits on property improvements without permission from the wind energy company. This could also include drainage improvements on personal property. This is subjecting a land owner to a form of zoning on their personal property.

Yes.  The lease stays with the land for the term of the lease.  If property is purchased that has a wind-energy lease, the buyer is obligated to abide by the terms of the lease for the term of the lease as well as any options the wind-energy company reserves to extend that lease. (wind-watch.org)

Wind turbine contracts are very long term and farmers should protect themselves against turbines not producing the projected amounts of electricity and the cost of eventual removal of a turbine. (Plaehn, How Much Money Does a Farmer Make for a Wind Turbine?, sciencing.com)

“Wind power is naturally intermittent, and plants typically operate at about 25% of full capacity, compared to coal and natural gas plants operating at 90%. Thus, it can take 4-5 wind plants to produce the same amount of electricity as a single fossil fuel plant.” (Clemente, Do Wind Turbines Lower Property Values, forbes.com)

The distance wind turbines and supporting infrastructure are from homes, hospitals, schools, airports, property lines, or any other structures are known as “setbacks”.  Setbacks vary depending on manufacturer recommended minimums, state or local laws if there are any such laws established, and a wind-energy company’s project plans.  Many wind-energy projects in states that do not yet have a wide range of established regulations or laws regarding wind-energy development should adhere to minimum standards.  The only Oklahoma law regarding setbacks are one and one-half (1 1/2) nautical miles from a hospital, public school that is part of a public-school district, and a public use airport or one owned by a municipality.  (Oklahoma Statutes, Title 17-160.20. Corporation Commission)

Sources:

Oklahoma Statutes. Title 17. Corporation Commission

Clemente, Jude (2015, September 23), Do Wind Turbines Lower Property Values.
Retrieved from:  https://www.forbes.com/sites/judeclemente/2015/09/23/do-wind-turbines-lower-property-values/?sh=50b07fba48cb

Plaehn, Tim (2018, January 9), How Much Money Does a Wind Farmer Make for a Wind Turbine. 
Retrieved from:  https://sciencing.com/info-8337416-much-farmer-make-wind-turbine.html

Morrison, LIz (2012, April 14), Five Questions to Ask Before Signing a Wind Energy Lease.
Retrieved from:  https://www.wind-watch.org/documents/five-questions-to-ask-before-signing-a-wind-energy-lease/

Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (2023, August 24), Wind Turbines:  the Bigger, the Better. 
Retrieved from: https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/wind-turbines-bigger-better