This wind-focused video explains what wind farm community funds are and how current project communities are using these charitable funds to do “good” in National Grid Renewables’ (formerly known as Geronimo Energy) wind farm footprints.
Technology: Wind
Community members, business owners and local officials in a previous wind development describe the community benefits the project has brought to their county and rural towns.
Community members in National Grid Renewables’, formerly known as Geronimo Energy, wind farms discuss how their lives have benefited from local wind farms and how these projects have positively impacted their rural communities.
National Grid Renewables, formerly known as Geronimo Energy, celebrates its Crocker Wind Farm with community members, landowners and project partners. Crocker Wind Farm will contribute significant tax revenue for the local and state economies, as well create new construction and long-term permanent jobs.
The Great Give-Back:
Green River Wind Farm Makes First Annual Donation to Local Community Fund
Project poised to donate over $775,000 to Lee and Whiteside Counties, Illinois
Minneapolis, MN (April 6, 2021) – Green River Wind Farm, an operational 194 megawatt (MW) clean wind energy project located in Lee and Whiteside Counties in Illinois within the PJM Regional Transmission Operator (RTO) system, announced today the first donation of $38,800 to the Green River Community Fund, a charitable initiative associated with the project. Green River Wind Farm has Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPA) with Apple, Akamai Technologies, and Swiss Re, as well as a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA). 3Degrees facilitated the renewable energy aggregation with the corporate power purchasers. The project was developed and is operated by National Grid Renewables, which includes the renewables development company formerly known as Geronimo Energy.
The Green River Community Fund is one of eleven charitable funds initially established by National Grid Renewables, whose foundation as a farmer-friendly, community-focused business includes a commitment to giving back to the communities that host its renewable energy projects. The total estimated charitable commitment for the Green River Community Fund is approximately $775,000.
In addition to the community fund benefits, Green River Wind Farm is positively impacting the local and state economies through job and tax revenue creation. The project employed approximately 200 construction workers at its construction peak and created 10 new full-time jobs at its Operations & Maintenance building located in Deer Grove, Illinois. Additionally, the project is anticipated to provide millions in new tax revenue, as well as landowner income in the form of land lease payments throughout operations.
The Green River Community Fund donations will be leveraged to serve local community members in the cities and towns connected to the local project. A board of directors comprised of local residents and Green River Wind Farm landowners will oversee the grant application and disbursement process.
“These funds will help improve our communities within the area of the Green River Wind Farm Project,” said Rick R. Clary, the Green River Community Fund Board President. “It is the Board’s hope that we can help some organizations and improve or enhance the quality of life within the area. We are excited to start this process and look forward to many years of helping organizations in need.”
Local charitable organizations interested in learning more about the grant application process can contact the Green River Community Fund’s Board President, Rick Clary, at [email protected].
About National Grid Renewables
National Grid Renewables, part of the competitive, unregulated National Grid Ventures division of National Grid (NYSE: NGG), develops, owns and operates large-scale renewable energy assets across the United States, including solar, wind and battery storage. As a farmer-friendly and community-focused business, National Grid Renewables develops projects for corporations and utilities that seek to repower America’s electricity grid by reigniting local economies and reinvesting in a sustainable, clean energy future.
National Grid Renewables has a robust development pipeline of wind, solar and battery storage projects in various stages of development throughout the United States, as well as geographically diverse operational assets across the country. It supports National Grid’s vision of being at the heart of a clean, fair, and affordable energy future for all.
Rollout of new National Grid Renewables brand emphasizes the important role renewable energy will play in the company’s efforts to decarbonize the energy system
Waltham, MA and Minneapolis, MN (October 14, 2020) – National Grid, through its competitive, nonregulated National Grid Ventures unit, today announced the launch of National Grid Renewables, the new brand name for its US renewable energy business which includes solar, onshore wind and battery storage. National Grid Renewables is focused on accelerating the clean energy transition through developing, owning and operating large-scale renewable energy assets across the United States.
“National Grid has a critical role to play in the acceleration of a cleaner energy future, which is why we’re pleased to be launching National Grid Renewables to further underscore our commitment to reaching net zero,” said Daniel Westerman, President, Renewable Energy for National Grid. “In addition to being positive for our planet, developing new renewable energy projects creates jobs and spurs economic development in communities across America. We look forward to expanding our positive social and environmental impact as we look ahead, all while delivering strong shareholder value.”
This rollout builds on National Grid’s acquisition of Geronimo Energy, a leading wind and solar developer in North America, in July 2019, further underscoring the company’s commitment to decarbonizing the energy system. Since last year’s acquisition, National Grid’s onshore renewables development team (formerly known as Geronimo Energy) has signed over 500 megawatts (MW) of announced contracts with customers and has expanded its robust pipeline of wind, solar and battery storage projects throughout the U.S. As part of today’s launch, Geronimo Energy will transition to the new National Grid Renewables branding.
“The launch of the National Grid Renewables brand supports our goal to expand our onshore project portfolio nationwide and continue our growth as a leader in the renewable energy industry,” stated Blake Nixon, Head of US Onshore Renewables for National Grid Renewables. “We are proud to take on the National Grid name, as our corporate values have always been and continue to be aligned. Our farmer-friendly, community-focused value set and guiding principle to do what is right for community members, customers, and partners remains the same.”
In addition to its onshore renewables development team, National Grid Renewables includes an increasing number of operational assets that are geographically diverse across the U.S., from wind and solar farms in the Midwest and South to investments in battery storage facilities on the East Coast.
It also has had a partnership dating back to 2016 with Sunrun, a leading residential solar, battery storage, and energy services company in the US, that has included a $100 million asset investment and employees from each company working to develop the potential of grid services using cleaner, renewable sources of energy.
For more information about National Grid Renewables, please visit www.nationalgridrenewables.com or follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
About National Grid Renewables
National Grid Renewables, part of the competitive, unregulated National Grid Ventures division of National Grid (NYSE: NGG), develops, owns and operates large-scale renewable energy assets across the United States, including solar, wind and battery storage. As a farmer-friendly and community-focused business, National Grid Renewables develops projects for corporations and utilities that seek to repower America’s electricity grid by reigniting local economies and reinvesting in a sustainable, clean energy future.
National Grid Renewables has a robust development pipeline of wind, solar and battery storage projects in various stages of development throughout the United States, as well as geographically diverse operational assets across the country. It supports National Grid’s vision of being at the heart of a clean, fair, and affordable energy future for all. Please visit www.nationalgridrenewables.com to learn more.
Crocker Community Fund Established, Bringing Geronimo Energy’s Total Estimated Community Fund Donations to Over $9.6 Million Over 20 Years
The estimated $800,000 charitable fund’s board has been elected and is composed of local residents and landowners
Minneapolis, MN (August 13, 2020) – In celebration of the American Wind Energy Association’s
American Wind Week, Geronimo Energy (Geronimo), a National Grid company, announced today that it has established a local charitable giving board, named the Crocker Community Fund Board (the Fund), for the benefit of the communities connected to the Crocker Wind Farm (Crocker). Crocker is a 200 megawatt (MW) operational wind energy project located in Clark County, SD. Crocker has executed Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPA) with Walmart and Cargill, utilizes GE turbines, and was constructed by Wanzek Construction.
Crocker began operations in late 2019 and brings economic benefits to the local and state economies. At the peak of construction, Crocker had over 200 construction workers onsite and has since employed 10 full-time employees at its Operations and Maintenance building. Additionally, the project is estimated to produce $18 million in new tax revenue and $24 million in landowner payments during the first 20 years of operations.
Unique to Geronimo, its large-scale operating wind farms further benefit from a charitable fund called Community Funds. The contributions from Community Funds are above and beyond any tax revenue or other economic impacts from Geronimo’s projects and are meant as charitable donations to the local project host communities. To date, Geronimo has initiated thirteen wind farm Community Funds across the nation, resulting in a total commitment of over $9.6 million in charitable donations over the first 20 operational years of these projects.
In Clark County, the Crocker Community Fund will receive an estimated $40,000 per year for a period of 20 years, totaling approximately $800,000 in local charitable funding. The Fund board has been elected and is composed of local landowners in the project footprint, as well as Clark County residents. The Fund donations will be funded by Geronimo and dispersed by the newly elected board to support charitable causes within and near Crocker.
“As a member of the Crocker Community Fund Board, I am excited to see what we can do for our community over the next 20 years with the funds we will receive from Geronimo Energy,” stated Jody Obermeier, a Crocker Community Fund Board member and landowner within the Crocker Wind Farm. “We are in the set-up stages right now as a board and fund. The Crocker Community Fund is going to be a great asset to our small community, and as a board, we will see that the funds are used to have the greatest community impact.”
“We are a community-focused and farmer-friendly company, and our Community Funds are at the heart of this value system,” stated David Reamer, President for Geronimo Energy. “In addition to the economic benefits our projects offer, such as tax revenue and job creation, we are committed to giving back to the host communities where we develop wind farms. We’ve been working in the Clark County area for over a decade, and we couldn’t be more excited to see the Crocker Community Fund established to benefit our neighbors and friends.”
About National Grid Renewables
National Grid Renewables, part of the competitive, unregulated National Grid Ventures division of National Grid (NYSE: NGG), develops, owns and operates large-scale renewable energy assets across the United States, including solar, wind and battery storage. As a farmer-friendly and community-focused business, National Grid Renewables develops projects for corporations and utilities that seek to repower America’s electricity grid by reigniting local economies and reinvesting in a sustainable, clean energy future.
National Grid Renewables has a robust development pipeline of wind, solar and battery storage projects in various stages of development throughout the United States, as well as geographically diverse operational assets across the country. It supports National Grid’s vision of being at the heart of a clean, fair, and affordable energy future for all. Please visit www.nationalgridrenewables.com to learn more.