Strong Wind Power Growth in the US - 4/18/07

Texas is the leader in the annual wind power ranking 2006 in the United States, with California as the runner-up. Last year the United States installed over 2400 megawatt of new wind power capacity. But yet the American Wind Energy Association advocates a better political climate to stimulate ‘business to grow to its full potential’.

At present, the US ranks third in the world, behind Germany and Spain for wind power generation.

The growth is providing many benefits, as AWEA states in a press release: “New jobs, more local revenue, cleaner air, and an essential, home-grown contribution to meeting the challenge of global warming.” But AWEA warns that a long-term extension of the renewable energy production tax credit (PTC) is crucial to sustain this growth. “Previous short-term extensions have led to a boom-and-bust cycle in the wind industry, increasing costs along the entire supply chain and preventing businesses from growing to their full potential.”

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