Wind ~ Winding Down

Wind energy industry faces headwinds

Despite Congress' extension of a wind energy tax credit, 2013 may be the start of a downfall of the industry, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Industry experts are questioning the long-term viability of the wind industry, saying growth this year likely won't compare to what it was in 2012, the report says. [Kansas City Business Journal]

Private Equity Flees Clean Energy as Investment Falls

Jan. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Private equity companies and venture capitalists including Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Braemar Energy Ventures reduced renewable-energy investment to the lowest since 2006 as once-promising companies failed or were sold at a loss..[Washington Post]

Cuccinelli targets energy incentives

RICHMOND — Virginia Attorney General Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II and the state’s largest electric utilities are proposing to repeal financial incentives for using renewable energy after a report last year found that the millions of dollars in bonuses haven’t yielded the intended environmental gains and have contributed to increases in customer bills.[Washington Times]

 Green Energy Proves to Be a Very Bad Market Investment

Green energy investments touted by President Obama and the Democrats of New Mexico’s Congressional delegation have proved to be a disastrous bet. Since the fall of 2008 an index tracking the market performance of solar, wind and other green energy companies is down 98%... while the rest of the stock market has climbed to impressive highs.[New MexicoWatch dog]