The Clay County Fair in Clay County, Iowa is hosting an Iowa Wind Energy Day on Sunday September 8, 2013. The Iowa Wind Energy Association along with 14 co-sponsors will provide educational and interactive exhibits for fair-goers to learn about the state’s robust wind industry.

Iowa was the first state in the U.S. to exceed 24 percent of all electrical generation from wind. In addition the state is first in the number of wind related jobs and wind manufacturing businesses, and third in installed capacity. Landowners in Iowa are paid an annual lease payment for each turbine on their land and receive a combined $16 million annually. Property tax assessed value in counties with wind turbines has increased by almost $3 billion dollars and provides increased tax revenues to county and school district budgets annually.

In the next four-to-five years, recently announced wind farm developments and transmission projects will create an estimated $10 billion dollars in capital investment in Northwest Iowa. The wind farm projects will include nearly 2,500 additional wind turbines within 100 miles of O’Brien County. Landowner lease payments for these turbines will range between $6,000 – $10,000 per turbine, per year for 20 years or more. This is approximately $20 million dollars that will be paid to landowners each year. Within six years these turbines will add an estimated $2.25 billion in property tax assessed value in Northwest Iowa, and provide an estimated 400 – 500 new jobs with an annual estimated payroll of $20 million.

The wind energy booth will be located just south of the events center and between the midway and grandstand. Visitors can sign up for door prizes, receive free wind energy promotional items, view an actual turbine operation, see high voltage protective equipment, talk to wind farm developers, operation and maintenance workers and educators about opportunities in the wind energy industry. Iowa Wind Energy Association staff will also be giving short seminars on topics such as buying a small wind turbine; what to expect if contacted by wind farm developers; and the economic impact of Iowa’s wind energy industry.