"Connecting the Tower." source: Moorhead Public Service - link

Physical

    Wind technology is complex and large-scale. It would be an acceptable element in a community already familiar with large industry, Malt-O-Meal and the railroad being the leading examples. In addition, the WRAP report indicates that Northfield has an adequate wind resource and that the site three miles east of downtown is feasible.

Economic

    The state and federal incentive payments help to make the project economically viable. Indications are that the bills currently before the state and federal legislatures will be continued, ensuring viability. The investors have indicated, however, that they are solidly committed to the project regardless of legislative decisions.
    St. Olaf's decision not to participate merits attention. According to Mr. Sandberg, a decisive factor is the continuation of the state incentive payment. He estimates that without the incentive payment, the project would be an investment loss for the college. Mr. Strong of Carleton, however, thinks that the economics are such that Carleton would break even on the investment even in the absence of an incentive payment. Because many of the project costs would be identical for both colleges, this difference of opinion among the experts amounts to a discrepancy.
    This discrepancy cannot be fully resolved here because much of the economic data is private information of the institutions. However, a likely source of the different opinions of the experts is avoided costs. The central question is whether or not Mr. Strong is taking into account avoided costs when he says the project will break even, without the incentive payments. Specifically, does the project pay for itself, according to Mr. Strong, because Carleton pays more for energy? In this scenario, the project would be economically feasible if the energy production costs for the wind turbine were sufficiently lower than the regular rate paid to the utility, Xcel  Energy.
    Despite this discrepancy, the central finding of this economic analysis is that the project is economically viable for its investors and for the community as a whole.

Narrative

    Several themes emerge from the narrative data. First, the "newness" of the project is an important element of its success. Because this is the community's first wind energy effort, it faces no significant predisposed opposition. As such, it can elicit widespread support from the community.
    With this support, the project can become a major driver of community activism. The interviews reveal that activism is present in Northfield but could be stronger. Stronger activism would include increased voter turnout, participation of youth in community decision making, and more collective action to protect the city's quality of life. As a grassroots effort, the wind project can strengthen activism by developing pride in ownership and enthusiasm for collective action towards the greater good of the community.
    Education is a major source of pride in Northfield. The Decision Resources study found that 87% of adults were "proud of the Northfield Public Schools and would recommend them to friends." The schools are seen and see themselves as community leaders. In addition, the wind project is perceived as mutually beneficial to the schools and to the city.
    Within the schools and without, there is significant optimism about the ability of the current project to spark other community-based efforts. RENew Northfield is expected to be a major agent in future projects. The solid relationship that the organization is currently building with Northfield establishes its "credibility." 
    The credibility of the current project is greatly enhanced by the empirical data gathered in the Decision Resources study. Interestingly, 19% of respondents supported the project "whether energy savings took place or not."  This is an indication of the presence of a real environmental consciousness and civic activism. Most importantly, the majority of residents were in favor of the construction of a wind energy turbine. This supports supports Alyssa Thomas' comment that "people want this."
    The interviews also reveal that community identity is present, but needs to continue to evolve in order to help Northfield make intelligent decisions about its future. Several key aspects of the wind project coincide with important elements of the city's collective identity. Certain prominent visual features of the landscape, such as Bridge Square and the colleges' natural lands, are identified as sources of civic identity and pride. Although the turbines will not be located in the city, they will be prominent features of the surrounding landscape. Another key aspect of Northfield's identity is new ideas. Northfield is particularly receptive to new ideas, and it is through them that identity evolves. The grassroots wind energy project represents a major new idea, capable of bringing a wide range of talents and interest into the process of forging community identity.