Nebraska Department of Environment & Energy logo

Nebraska Department of Environment & Energy

Planning & Aid Division

Nebraska Wind Financing, Permitting and Other Resources

Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy

P.O. Box 98922|Lincoln, NE 68509

Phone (402) 471-2186|Toll Free (877) 253-2603

Wind Financing, Permitting and Other Resources

Financing

wind turbine

The only known financing opportunities for small scale wind projects are the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development efficiency and renewable energy grants. These grants provide 25 percent of funding for an eligible project. Either wind or solar would most likely need to be funded under the renewable energy section of these grants.

You need to be aware that because of the state’s low electric rates, some renewable technologies are currently not very cost effective, due to the high cost of installation compared to the payback.

There are also zero-interest loans available from USDA Rural Development.

For more information, contacts in Nebraska for USDA grants are:

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Federal Building, Room 308

100 Centennial Mall North

Lincoln, NE 68508

Web site: www.rurdev.usda.gov/ne

Karissa Berks

USDA Business Programs Director

Direct Phone: 402-437-5568

Fax: 402-437-5408

Email: karissa.berks@ne.usda.gov

Deb Yocum

USDA Business & Cooperative Specialist

Direct Phone: 402-437-5554

Fax: 402-437-5408

Email: debra.yocum@ne.usda.gov

Lincoln - Jan Knobel 402-423-9683

Columbus - Dan Laska 402-564-0506

Ainsworth - Mary Gambill 402-387-2242

Scottsbluff - Tim Brooks 308-632-2195

North Platte - Roberta Mues 308-534-2360

Kearney - Karissa Berks 308-237-3118

If you can find an economical wind system, you might consider using a Dollar and Energy Saving Loan, to finance the purchase. The loans are offered by participating Nebraska lenders.

More information about Dollar and Energy Saving Loans is at our DESL page.

The loan application for renewable energy systems including wind turbines is at Form 20.

Permitting

permitting

There are some environmental regulations that apply to wind farms. Any construction activity that disturbs more than 1 acre of total land including staging areas and offsite disturbance must obtain a stormwater construction permit. The application and forms for this can be found on NDEQ’s website at DEE.

NPDES Permit for Storm Water Discharges from Construction Sites

If your project requires a concrete plant to be temporarily or permanently placed at the site, an air permit may be required depending on the potential emissions of the plant. An air permit may also be required if there are any concrete, asphalt, or similar type of crushing activities.

To find out if you need any type of air permit, please call the Air Permit Assistance Hotline at 1-877-834-0474.

The above permits are the most common that may apply to a wind farm project. Depending on the specific aspects of your project, there may be other environmental regulations that apply.

Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality

PO Box 98922

Lincoln, Nebraska 68509

phone: 402 471-2186

fax: 402-471-2909

Other governmental agencies that may be involved in your wind farm project would be the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission with regard to threatened and endangered species and the US Army Corps of Engineers with regard to the disturbance of a wetland.

To find out if your project complies with the Nebraska Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act, contact the Commission at 402-471-5438. If your project will disturb a wetland, contact the Corps at 402-995-2417.

Permits for wind towers are handled by the Nebraska Department of Transportation, Aeronautics Unit and require filing a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Notice of Proposed Construction or Alteration, Form 7460-1.

An Application for Permit to Build, Form HP1, is required from the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics before erecting/building any structure exceeding a height of 150 feet above the surface of the ground at the point of installation, unless erected under the authority of a license or permit issued by a federal agency.

A determination of "no hazard" from the FAA in response to the filing of a 7460-1 is not a "license or permit."

Nebraska Department of Transportation, Aeronautics Unit

Lincoln Office:

3431 Aviation Rd

Lincoln, NE 68524

phone: 402-471-2371

Kearney Office:

5065 Airport Rd

Kearney, NE 68847

phone: 308-865-5696

Permits for connecting to the electric grid from the Power Review Board:

Tim Texel

Power Review Board

PO Box 94713

Lincoln, NE 68509

402-471-2301

Contact us

Email us

energy@nebraska.gov

Write us

Nebraska Energy Office

245 Fallbrook Blvd, Suite 100

P.O. Box 95085

Lincoln, NE 68509

Contact us

Phone (402) 471-2186

Fax: (402) 471-2909