Wind Energy Stakeholder Debate
In-Class Activity
Overview
 Students take on different roles of those involved with siting
a wind farm
 Players range from environmentalists, to opposing
neighborhood residents, to economists, to government
agency officials
 Each student/group of students takes on a different role and
is given a brief synopsis of their role
 Students speak to City Council, proposing either building or
not building the wind farm based on their assigned role
 The teacher or selected students act as City Council and
decides who the winner of the debate is
Objectives
 Students will learn that putting up a wind plant is not a
simple process, and it affects many people
 Students will be introduced to the many different players
in the wind energy development process
 Students will become more familiar with the challenges
presented when planning to put up a wind development
Activity Preparation
 Assign students roles:
 Groups of students or individual students will take on each side
of the debate
 Equal number of teams for pros and cons
 Determine who is on City Council: they will determine the
winning side at the end of the debate
 Read and understand assigned role:
 Each student will review the fact sheet that corresponds to their
role
 They are to base their arguments in the debate on these facts
 Students will attempt to appeal to City Council by arguing their
side of the debate
Issues surrounding wind farm
development
Pros
Cons
 Zero pollutant emissions
 Wildlife impacts
 Environmentally-friendly
 Impacts on existing fossil fuel
industry
 Renewable energy
 Costs
 Declining costs
 Noise
 Economic benefits for local
and national economy
 Aesthetics
 Clean air means healthier air
 Hazardous weather
conditions
Proposal for Wind Farm
 Family Farm Wind Co. is a wind energy company that has
applied for a conditional-use permit to build a 1,000 acre
wind farm just outside of town. The wind farm will consist
of 62 industrial wind turbines and will provide electricity to
2,500 customers.
 City Council is holding a Community Forum to discuss the
proposed development, and everyone in town in invited.
 Your job: to make City Council side with your arguments.
 Use the facts on your handout and argue according to the
opinions of your assigned role
Rules!
•You may use information found
on handout or other background
knowledge, but must present
facts!
•You may only speak to City
Council when called on
•You may refute other side’s claims
as soon as that side finishes
speaking
•You should work together with
teammates to appeal to council
members
•Bribing is not discouraged (it must
be in the form of campaign
contributions of course)
Ready, Set, Debate!
Breaking News!
 U.S. Congress has just passed legislation that would increase
tax cuts on wind energy!
 Land owners that provide leases to wind energy companies
could earn an extra $1000/year
 Wind energy companies will earn an extra 2 cents/KWH
 Cities that host wind farms can earn extra tax revenue that can
be used as funding for city programs or city-owned renewable
energy initiatives
 YOU CAN CHANGE SIDES if you feel this tax cut is important
to your role! What would you do in this situation?
Breaking News!
 The wind developer discovered endangered bat
populations in a location near the proposed wind farm
 This population might be affected by the installation of wind
turbines near their territory
 The wind turbines could be moved farther from the bats’
homes, or could be turned off at low wind speeds when the
bats are likely to be flying around the site
 YOU CAN CHANGE SIDES if you feel this tax cut is
important to your role! What would you do in this
situation?
End of Debate: Winners Decided
City Council Members will now vote on a verdict. Will the wind
farm be built or not?
What have we learned?
 Is deciding to build a wind farm an easy task?
 How does the decision to build or not build a wind farm
affect the citizens of the town as well as industry?
 How can we come to a decision that will please the
majority?
 What will you take away from this activity?
This Debate Is Happening Right Now
Not Too Far From YOU
 A wind farm has been proposed on Perrin Ranch, 13 miles
north of Williams.
 The Coconino County Board of Supervisors recently
spend two days of debate deciding to approve the
project.
 A conditional use permit must be approved by Coconino
County Planning and Zoning Commission and the County
Board of Supervisors.
 Community Meetings are currently going on to
determine the proposed wind farm’s future.