Arkansas has an extraordinary opportunity to strengthen its economy, electric grid, and energy independence through wind energy. Yes, the wind is blowing into the Natural State and bringing jobs and tax revenue with it. Currently, there are multiple wind farms proposed across Arkansas, most of which are in the agricultural Delta region.
The most advanced is the 135 MW Crossover Wind project in Cross County, currently under construction and set to come online in mid-2025. Supporting these projects is about making smart, responsible investments in the future of Arkansas’ rural communities while meeting the State’s increasing power demands with low-cost energy.
Wind energy creates jobs, generates local tax revenue, and ensures Arkansas has a stable, affordable energy supply. The Crossover Wind project alone will contribute $450,000 annually to Cross County’s general fund—supporting schools, infrastructure, and essential services without raising local taxes. Statewide, projects have the potential to inject millions into rural communities, strengthening local economies and reducing dependence on foreign or out-of-state energy sources. It has only been in the last few years that turbine technological advances have come far enough to harness Arkansas wind. Indeed, Mississippi’s first wind farm, Delta Wind, came online in mid-2024 and is expected to generate tens of millions in local tax revenue for Tunica County over the project’s lifespan.
Across the U.S., more than 90,000 wind turbines generate power that is unaffected by fuel price volatility, ensuring a stable energy supply even during extreme weather or global geopolitical unrest. Additionally, onshore wind is one of the most affordable energy sources in the country, along with solar, and remains cost-competitive with traditional fuels even without tax credits.
Wind energy is particularly productive and valuable in the winter, when gas prices are susceptible to spikes, as Arkansas has recently experienced with Summit Utilities. As such, wind energy plays an important role in helping electric utilities build and balanced and resilient resource portfolios, keeping the lights on at lower costs to Arkansans.
Wind farms are also highly compatible with agricultural operations – turbines occupy minimal space, allowing farmers to continue planting crops or grazing livestock around them. Not to mention the land lease payments, which can exceed $20,000 per year per turbine. For many smaller farms, that income can be the difference between having to sell property and being able to keep it in the family for generations.
Embracing wind energy doesn’t mean abandoning the Natural State’s heritage—it means advancing it. These projects protect our land, resources and electricity supply while providing farmers and rural communities a huge economic windfall.
Whit Cox is the Regulatory Director for the Southern Renewable Energy Association. He previously worked as an attorney for the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission and the Arkansas Public Service Commission. Julia Pendleton is the Managing Director of the Southeastern Wind Coalition, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to advance the wind industry and create economic opportunities for residents, businesses, and utilities across the region. This article printed at the request of the Arkansas Press Association.