The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Six years ago, a little more than 5,200 megawatts of the nation's power came from spinning blades that towered over open lands in only the windiest states.
Today, more than 48,000 megawatts -- equal to 35 percent of new power stations built in the past five years -- come from wind turbines. A megawatt is enough to power 250 homes.The wind towers are taller, the blades are longer, and the equipment is lighter, making it possible to make electricity in low-wind areas such as the Southeast.
The wind energy industry argues that the rapid growth won't continue unless Congress extends a production tax credit through 2016. The industry's main lobbying group brought two political polar opposites to its international conference in Atlanta on Tuesday to show there's bipartisan support to get the bill passed.
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1 comment:
"An additional four years of federal incentives also is enough time to lower the cost of wind power to the point that it is as cheap as traditional sources of electricity such as coal and natural gas, industry supporters say."
This is nuts! The only thing you can count on in 4 years is that the wind industry will still be crying for subsidies.
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