Outside of Elizabeth City, North Carolina, lies the perfect spot for a wind farm—a large, empty field with few nearby residences and access to transmission lines. The only thing missing is a strong, steady wind. But advances in wind-power technology—specifically, taller turbines that can reach currents of air at higher altitudes—are changing that. 

In August, Iberdrola Renewables and Amazon Web Services (AWS) began construction on the region's first commercial wind farm at the site. When completed by the end of 2016, the farm should generate enough electricity to power nearly 70,000 homes. The supply will help AWS meet its goal of generating 40 percent of its power through renewable energy before 2017.

Public demand for projects like this has been bolstered by the efforts of the Sierra Club's North Carolina Chapter and its allies, who have held numerous forums on wind energy over the past five years and have advocated tirelessly for clean energy policies. "We've done a good job building the grassroots capacity for this," says Zachary Keith, the chapter's lead organizer. "It's an exciting step into the future of clean energy for North Carolina."

This article appeared as "The Wind Is Picking Up" in the November/December 2015 print edition of Sierra.