Wind power still in limbo despite renewed tax break

Congress renewed an alternative-energy tax credit as part of the recently approved “fiscal cliff” package. Yet despite the continuation of the subsidy, many proposed wind farms in Washington remain in limbo.

By Kyung M. Song

Seattle Times Washington bureau

WASHINGTON — After much dithering, Congress earlier this month gave a lift to wind-power producers by renewing a tax credit worth more than $12 billion over the next decade.

But the public subsidies alone likely won’t be enough to propel more than a dozen proposed wind farms in Washington to quickly start spinning their giant blades. Cheaper natural gas, environmental concerns and plentiful renewable-energy sources for utilities are among a confluence of factors that have taken much wind out of new turbines’ sails.[Seattle Times ]