The AWEA Blog: Into the Wind


Bingaman: Inconsistent U.S. energy policy leads to competitive disadvantage

Posted: 18 Jun 2012 Tom Gray

“The U.S. cannot compete on a level playing field with countries that have strong industrial policies when our own policies have been so inconsistent and erratic,” said U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Thursday at a hearing of the committee on "Tax Reform: Impact on U.S. Energy Policy."

The federal wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC), the primary incentive that helps support growth of wind power in the U.S., stands as a poster child for that "inconsistent and erratic" policy, having been extended only in one- to three-year increments since Congress first allowed it to expire in 1999. ...


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Big energy companies building wind farms? And that's bad?

Posted: 18 Jun 2012 Tom Gray

Robert Bryce, of the fossil-fuel-funded Manhattan Institute, continues his long-running search for ways to criticize wind power with a recent column charging that companies in the fossil fuels business are also building wind farms.

Ah, the irony--for years and years, those of us who think wind power is a good idea have looked at the entry of large companies (and yes, large energy companies, since it may be unlikely to expect laundry soap makers or big box retailers to invest in the energy markets) into the wind industry as a positive sign.  In our view, it was a sign of the growing maturity and competitiveness of wind power.

Mr. Bryce rattles off a ...


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Minnesota's Rep. Walz seeks PTC extension, cites 'homegrown American jobs'

Posted: 15 Jun 2012 Tom Gray

Congressman Tim Walz (D-Minn.) called for an extension of the federal wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) during a visit to Rochester, Minn., Wednesday, saying the jobs that the wind power industry creates in construction, installation, and maintenance are "homegrown American jobs that can't be outsourced."

According to the Rochester Post-Bulletin, Walz also referred to recent statements by Republican strategist Karl Rove in support of the PTC and said extending it "is not a political issue, it's just smart politics."

Added the Post-Bulletin, "At its ...


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Fact check: Bond bashes wind, mangles facts

Posted: 15 Jun 2012 Tom Gray

[An updated version of this post containing more information is now available.]

 

A column in today's Denver Post by retired energy executive Mike Bond (who also happens to be an outspoken opponent of a wind farm near his home on the Hawaiian island of Molokai) takes aim at wind power, but the facts are the only casualties.

Many if not all of the numbers in Mr. Bond's piece appear to have been pulled out of thin air, as they are far above or below actual values (in each case to wind's disadvantage).  Some specific factual issues follow:

T. Boone Pickens quote ...


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Microsoft, Sprint join growing list of major companies calling on Congress to extend PTC

Posted: 14 Jun 2012 Jon Goldstein

Microsoft and Sprint--both Fortune 100 companies with substantial commitments to renewable energy--delivered a letter yesterday to Congressional leadership asking for an extension of the federal Production Tax Credit (PTC) for wind power, an incentive scheduled to expire in December.

The letter calls on Congress to act immediately to extend the PTC before it expires.  More than 400 wind manufacturing facilities in 43 states are facing imminent risks of layoffs and shutdowns for lack of orders.

Nearly half of the world’s largest corporations plan to moderately or significantly increase investment in renewable energy over the next five years, according to research by Ernst & Young released last week.  Microsoft and Sprint are the largest “wind customer” ...


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Wind Powering America program honors several for contributions to advancing wind energy

Posted: 14 Jun 2012 Tom Gray

At its annual State Summit recently, the U.S. Department of Energy's Wind Powering America program presented awards to a number of groups and individuals for their contributions to advancing the use of wind energy in the United States.

Those honored include:

Outstanding Wind Working Group: Georgia Wind Working Group for its efforts in promoting wind energy in Georgia and the Southeast, including support for the 2012 WINDPOWER Conference.

Outstanding Leadership in Education: Gwen Andersen of St. Francis University for her efforts to spearhead the development of broad-based education development in wind energy.
...


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With daily speeches, Sen. Mark Udall goes to bat for PTC extension

Posted: 13 Jun 2012 Tom Gray

U.S. Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) announced yesterday that he will make speeches daily on the Senate floor urging an extension of the federal wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) and helping to raise awareness of the wind power industry's economic importance in many states across the nation.

According to the Pueblo (Colo.) Chieftain, Udall told reporters in a press conference call, "This ought to be a no-brainer ... Without this tax credit, we'll be outsourcing these jobs to China or somewhere else."

In a news release, Udall expanded on his thoughts about the wind incentive: ""It is one thing for Congress to take the time to consider a new proposal and have an open, honest debate, but the Production Tax Credit is widely supported, will create jobs and has ...


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Kansas City Star: Kansas Gov. Brownback right to call for PTC extension

Posted: 12 Jun 2012 Tom Gray

In an editorial focused on Kansas's growing energy potential (with both oil and wind), the Kansas City Star recently praised Sunflower State Gov. Sam Brownback (R) for supporting an extension of the federal wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC).

Commented the newspaper, "At last week’s [WINDPOWER 2012] conference [in Atlanta], the governor had excellent reasons for his stand.

“'More than 1,200 new, high-paying manufacturing jobs have been announced in Kansas in the last two years directly related to renewable energy,' he said. 'Kansas also has more wind energy construction projects under way than any other state, with at least 663 new turbines set to be installed and ...


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Paul Woodin receives Community Wind Innovator Award for 2012

Posted: 12 Jun 2012 Tom Gray

The board of directors of Windustry, a nonprofit group that promotes community wind, and a committee of colleagues has selected the late Paul Woodin, former director of the Community Renewable Energy Association, an Oregon-based intergovernmental agency, to be honored with the Community Wind Innovator Award for 2012.

The full text of the award announcement follows:
 

Community Wind Innovator Award
The Windustry Board of Directors, along with a Peer Group of Community Wind Colleagues, is pleased to present for the second year the Community Wind Innovator Award. This award is presented annually to an individual who has made significant progress over the past one to two years in forging ahead with new policies, new approaches, new business ...


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Fact check: Arkansas Project’s Horton off base on wind’s tax incentive

Posted: 12 Jun 2012 Kevin Haley

The Arkansas Project’s Nic Horton has an opinion column at Watchdog.org, attacking Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe (D) and his support for the federal wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC).  Here are some facts Mr. Horton neglected to mention:

The PTC is an effective tool to allow developers to raise private capital in the marketplace and bring renewable energy projects to completion. Furthermore, the PTC applies only to actual electricity produced from utility-scale wind turbines. A wind project developer does not receive the credit until the wind turbine actually generates power. Because the PTC is a business tax credit, funding is based solely on project performance, not evaluation by government officials.

A recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report points ...


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