The AWEA Blog: Into the Wind


U.K. market for small wind turbines surpasses U.S., but U.S. manufacturers benefit

Posted: 03 May 2012 Carl Levesque, AWEA Editor & Publications Manager

As reported in the recent release of the AWEA 2011 U.S. small wind report summary, U.S. small wind manufacturers last year for the first time sent more capacity overseas than they installed domestically. Numbers in the recently released U.K. small wind report provide added insight into that trend, with that market achieving triple-digit growth.

The U.K. 2011 market report, released at last week’s annual RenewableUK Small and Medium Wind Conference, revealed that the U.K. market for small wind turbines (i.e., less than 100 kW) surpassed the U.S. market, with 22 MW installed in the U.K. in 2011 compared to 19 MW in the U.S. The U.K. experienced a huge 153 ...


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NorthWestern Energy’s supply plan and Montana’s energy future

Posted: 03 May 2012 Tom Gray

This article by Jeff L. Fox originally appeared in the Bozeman (Mont.) Daily Chronicle May 1, and is reprinted with permission of the author.

Every two years, NorthWestern Energy, the electricity supplier for most Bozeman-area residents, submits a Supply Procurement Plan to the Montana Public Service Commission. The plan provides a snapshot of the energy resources the utility currently uses, as well as a 20-year outlook on the utility’s future plans and operating conditions.

If you care about consumer rates, reliable service, and the health of your community and environment, the plan is an important indicator of what you can expect from your electricity provider.

Taken as a whole, the plan should give ratepayers confidence ...


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Veterans training co. officer: PTC extension good for vets, economy

Posted: 02 May 2012 Tom Gray

The federal wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) is a policy that makes sense for U.S. veterans and the American economy, according to Jeff Duff, COO of Airstreams Renewables, a firm that specializes in training veterans for jobs in the renewable energy industries.

In an op-ed in Monday's edition of the Bakersfield (Calif.) Californian, Duff comments, "Veterans seeking good, well-paying jobs can find great opportunities in the clean energy sector--jobs that enable them to continue to help safeguard America's national security ... Our veteran graduates are a great fit with our company, and the renewable energy industry in general, ...


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Study's lead author: News reports on wind and temperature 'misleading'

Posted: 01 May 2012 Tom Gray

The lead author of a recent study finding that wind farms appear to affect local air temperatures has told a media watchdog group that he believes news stories on the study have been "misleading."

Liming Zhou, who led a team of researchers at the State University of New York-Albany (SUNY-Albany), made the comment in an e-mail to Media Matters, which published an analysis of media coverage of the study.  Referring to a Q&A originally published with a news release on the study, the group added: "The researchers, led by Liming Zhou, said it is "[v]ery likely" that "wind turbines do not create a net warming of the air and instead only ...


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Renewable Northwest Project responds to new BPA wind curtailments

Posted: 01 May 2012 Tom Gray

Deems cutting clean energy unacceptable, cites solutions within reach

Portland, Ore. (April 30, 2012) – This week, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) issued wind power curtailments, a policy the Federal Energy Regularly Commission previously rejected in a December 7, 2011, ruling. Rachel Shimshak, executive director of non-profit advocacy group Renewable Northwest Project, issued this statement:

Given a full year to plan ahead, we are disappointed that BPA is choosing to curtail wind energy despite more equitable solutions within reach. This practice wastes clean and affordable energy while power plants continue to burn coal ...


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NW policy group: PTC helps lead to clean energy future

Posted: 30 Apr 2012 Tom Gray

The federal wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) is an important ingredient of a clean energy future which will bring major benefits to Washington state and the Pacific Northwest, according to the head of a regional policy organization.

In an op-ed in yesterday's Spokane (Wash.) Spokesman-Review, Renewable Northwest Project (RNP) executive director Rachel Shimshak underlines the positive economic effects clean energy is having on the region:

"Wind, solar and biomass companies have brought nearly $8 billion in capital investment to Washington to date, adding jobs, construction work and economic vitality to our communities during tough economic times. Plus, renewable energy ...


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Fact check: Flawed science journalism on wind energy

Posted: 30 Apr 2012 Michael Goggin, AWEA Manager-Transmission Policy

A new study of the effect of local air mixing at the site of a wind farm says nothing about wind energy and global climate, and casts no doubt on all the other studies that  find wind power is one of the best ways to address climate change. Local air mixing has nothing to do with climate, because no heat or heat-trapping gases are being added to the atmosphere.

As happens all too often at the intersection of science and politics, the results of a technical journal article have been picked up by the popular press and misconstrued through a type of “telephone game,” in which the resulting press articles bear little resemblance to the original scientific article. The most recent incident involves a scientific article ...


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Congressman Thompson, veterans, industry experts call for PTC extension

Posted: 27 Apr 2012 Tom Gray

Vets group: Wind energy critical to America’s security

At a press event in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, Congressman Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) joined retired Marine Corps Lieutenant General John Castellaw; Mike Breen, Vice President of the Truman National Security Project; and Jeff Duff, President of veterans clean jobs training company Airstreams Renewables, to talk about how critical renewing the federal wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) is to America’s economic and national security. The PTC is an important federal program without which 37,000 jobs and $10-20 ...


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Layoffs in U.S. wind power accelerate as Congress fails to act on PTC extension

Posted: 26 Apr 2012 Peter L. Kelley, AWEA VP-Public Affairs

Leaders of bipartisan effort call on House Ways & Means Committee to help save American jobs

Leaders of a bipartisan effort on Capitol Hill joined the U.S. wind power industry yesterday to sound an urgent call for the House Ways and Means Committee to find a vehicle as soon as possible for extending the successful federal wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC)—and avert thousands of layoffs already beginning in factories across America.

U.S. Reps. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.), Steve King (R-Iowa), and Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) spoke with reporters about the bipartisan support for the PTC in Congress and the need for swift passage of the measure. The Congressmen were joined by Steve Lockard, CEO of TPI Composites, a U.S. company ...


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Submit a comment to the House Ways & Means Committee: Extend the PTC immediately!

Posted: 25 Apr 2012 Lauren Glickman, Social Media/Online Advocacy Mgr

This is your chance to urge the House Ways and Means Committee to extend the wind energy production tax credit (PTC). Learn more about the PTC here.


The Ways and Means Committee--the House's primary tax-writing committee--is holding a hearing on Thursday to discuss tax provisions, including the PTC.

We need you to submit written comments in support of the PTC for the hearing record.

Offer your support via email by close of business on ...


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