Kansas Wind Project Blown Away because of Concerns Over Land Value

Wind farms face all sorts of challenges before the first turbine starts spinning. A recent article in the Wichita Eagle highlights one hurdle wind farm developers encounter when they attempt to acquire the necessary land – land owners can sometimes get more for their land from homebuilders with plans for future housing developments than they can from wind advocates.

The Wichita Eagle said Horizon Wind Energy's plans for a 100MW wind farm 30 miles west of Wichita hit a major snag when several farmers who owned land in the area said their land might be worth more as sites for five-acre rural housing lots or suburban housing lots. The Eagle report also said the farmers didn't want to commit to a 30-year lease that would require company approval for some property changes.Wichita Eagle article