Dennis Lindahl, community development coordinator with the Tioga Economic Development Corp., said the recent struggles in the agriculture and oil industries, in addition to a coronavirus pandemic, have highlighted the need for diversification. The opportunities occurring with wind energy come at just the right time, he said.

Enel Green Power North America operates the Lindahl wind farm, named for the township in Williams County. The next-door Aurora Wind Project, operated by Enel’s Tradewinds Energy, is under construction.

“One of the things that we really like and enjoy is their partnership as a neighbor in the community. They sponsor the Drone Camp for Kids, which is huge for us. Then they also make a lot of contributions to the local Tioga school for education because those are their future workers,” Lindahl said.

Last year, Enel donated $60,000 to the school for STEM-related education, he said.

Submitted Photo Students practice rescue and escape training using a Genie descender device during a wind technician class in Tioga in June.

Enel also purchased a commercial building in Tioga and those employees are in town, patronizing businesses, which in turn have found ways to cater to the company’s needs with their products.

Construction of another wind farm in another northwestern county also could have a ripple effect on the economies in Williams and Divide counties, Lindahl said. Regulators recently approved the site for NextEra Energy’s Northern Divide Wind Project in Burke County.

The influx of a temporary construction workforce will be a shot in the arm to hotels, restaurants, grocery and retail stores and others, including rail yards and local businesses that provide heavy equipment, road materials and concrete, Lindahl said.

“That’s immediate economic benefit,” he said. The full-time positions that follow construction can be up to 15 to 20 employees for a 75-turbine project, he said.

The Tioga EDC views wind jobs as an opportunity to retain youth in the community. Through the drone camp and STEM programs, youth are educated early about opportunities and are already developing the skills, Lindahl said.

“We start to capture their imagination sooner,” Lindahl said. “We totally believe that the local opportunities and the local education is going to lead these kids to these types of careers.”

Brad Barth, executive director for Forward Devils Lake Corp., which serves Devils Lake and Ramsey County, said the organization’s role has been to assist wind energy companies in obtaining workforce.

Forward Devils Lake supports a program that covers tuition costs for students seeking various degrees at Lake Region State College. Over the past six years, the corporation has invested more than $120,000 that has helped leverage state dollars in the Career Builder program and augment sponsorships provided by businesses in exchange for employment commitments by students.

Lake Region reports numerous scholarship opportunities are available specifically for wind students, including those from Enel and Ottertail Power. There also are endowed scholarships for wind students. Other endowments support the program as a whole.

Nearly all wind technician students who seek jobs get jobs, according to Lake Region. Its 2017-18 placement rate was 91%. Companies recruit on campus and some have offered to hire an entire class.