Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

INSTALLED U.S. WIND POWER CAPACITY SURGED 45% IN 2007
American Wind Energy Association ^ | 17 Jan 2008 | Christine Real de Azua (press officer)

Posted on 01/18/2008 5:25:03 AM PST by alnitak

Shattering all its previous records, the U.S. wind energy industry installed 5,244 megawatts (MW) in 2007, expanding the nation’s total wind power generating capacity by 45% in a single calendar year and injecting an investment of over $9 billion into the economy, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) announced today. The new wind projects account for about 30% of the entire new power-producing capacity added nationally in 2007 and will power the equivalent of 1.5 million American households annually while strengthening U.S. energy supply with clean, homegrown electric power.

“This is the third consecutive year of record-setting growth, establishing wind power as one of the largest sources of new electricity supply for the country,” said AWEA Executive Director Randall Swisher. “This remarkable and accelerating growth is driven by strong demand, favorable economics, and a period of welcome relief from the on-again, off-again, boom-and-bust, cycle of the federal production tax credit (PTC) for wind power.”

“But the PTC and tax incentives for other renewable energy sources are now in danger of lapsing at the end of this year—and at the worst moment for the U.S economy,” added Swisher. “The U.S. wind industry calls on Congress and the President to quickly extend the PTC—the only existing U.S. incentive for wind power—in order to sustain this remarkable growth along with the manufacturing jobs, fresh economic opportunities, and reduction of global warming pollution that it provides.”

The U.S. wind power fleet now numbers 16,818 MW and spans 34 states. American wind farms will generate an estimated 48 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of wind energy in 2008, just over 1% of U.S. electricity supply, powering the equivalent of over 4.5 million homes.

(Excerpt) Read more at awea.org ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: 2007review; awea; energy; ptc; wind; windfarms; windpower
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-107 next last

1 posted on 01/18/2008 5:25:04 AM PST by alnitak
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Uncledave

ping!


2 posted on 01/18/2008 5:25:25 AM PST by alnitak ("That kid's about as sharp as a pound of wet liver" - Foghorn Leghorn)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: alnitak
INSTALLED U.S. WIND POWER CAPACITY SURGED 45% IN 2007

That blows.

3 posted on 01/18/2008 5:26:57 AM PST by Toddsterpatriot (Why are protectionists so bad at math?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: alnitak
“But the PTC and tax incentives for other renewable energy sources are now in danger of lapsing at the end of this year—and at the worst moment for the U.S economy,” added Swisher. “The U.S. wind industry calls on Congress and the President to quickly extend the PTC—the only existing U.S. incentive for wind power—in order to sustain this remarkable growth along with the manufacturing jobs, fresh economic opportunities, and reduction of global warming pollution that it provides.”

At what point will this technology pay off and no longer need tax dollars to get it started and prop it up?

4 posted on 01/18/2008 5:29:43 AM PST by rhombus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: alnitak
INSTALLED U.S. WIND POWER CAPACITY SURGED 45% IN 2007

law-of-small numbers alert.

5 posted on 01/18/2008 5:30:43 AM PST by the invisib1e hand (if you can't stand the heat, get out of the melting pot.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: alnitak
Windmills kill migratory birds.

< / environut>

6 posted on 01/18/2008 5:31:50 AM PST by SIDENET (Hubba Hubba...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: alnitak

Since wind normally supplies about 1/3 of installed capacity due to the unreliability of wind I’m suspicious of the numbers.


7 posted on 01/18/2008 5:34:24 AM PST by saganite (Lust type what you what in the “tagline” space)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: alnitak
“But the PTC and tax incentives for other renewable energy sources are now in danger of lapsing at the end of this year...

Lapse is good. Let alternative energy production techniques live or die on their own merits. For that matter, let standard energy production techniques live or die on their own merits.

8 posted on 01/18/2008 5:34:39 AM PST by decimon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: alnitak
installed 5,244 megawatts (MW) in 2007 [...] injecting an investment of over $9 billion into the economy.

So, wind power is nearly $2/watt installed. (Not including maintenance.)

The new wind projects account for about 30% of the entire new power-producing capacity added nationally in 2007

Please remember to thank a greenie for prohibiting the production of most real power plants.

and will power the equivalent of 1.5 million American households annually

Why, that's just $6000 per household, only a few times more than buying each one a small diesel generator.

“This remarkable and accelerating growth is driven by strong demand, favorable economics, and a period of welcome relief from the on-again, off-again, boom-and-bust, cycle of the federal production tax credit (PTC) for wind power.”

In other words, it can't be done without subsidies.

“But the PTC and tax incentives for other renewable energy sources are now in danger of lapsing at the end of this year—and at the worst moment for the U.S economy,” added Swisher. “The U.S. wind industry calls on Congress and the President to quickly extend the PTC—the only existing U.S. incentive for wind power—in order to sustain this remarkable growth along with the manufacturing jobs, fresh economic opportunities, and reduction of global warming pollution that it provides.”

Hey dude, if it were a net economic benefit, you wouldn't need coercive and involuntary subsidies. The money that fills your trough comes away from things people would rather spend their money on, which is to say, would provide greater economic benefit to them if they could only choose to spend it that way.

9 posted on 01/18/2008 5:35:32 AM PST by coloradan (Failing to protect the liberties of your enemies establishes precedents that will reach to yourself.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: alnitak

Won’t be much longer before we are told wind mills are stripping so much energy out of the winds across the plains that the weather is being negatively impacted!

We are DOOMED! DOOMED!


10 posted on 01/18/2008 5:35:34 AM PST by HD1200
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SIDENET

Only the ones too stupid to fly around.

Darwin effect.


11 posted on 01/18/2008 5:37:05 AM PST by Jedidah (Thompson, the only common sense candidate in the race.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: SIDENET
Windmills kill migratory birds.

... and really tall basketball players ... windmills hate really tall basketball players.

12 posted on 01/18/2008 5:38:56 AM PST by TexGuy (If it has the slimmest of chances of being considered sarcasm ... IT IS!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: alnitak

And I know how we could double the amount of wind energy in 2008.

Set wind turbines up in rings around Washington D.C. and the state capitol cities. Whether the the politicians there are full of hot air, or the laws they pass are so bad that it sucks, there will be enough airflow to match what is already being used in today’s turbines.


13 posted on 01/18/2008 5:40:46 AM PST by No Truce With Kings (The opinions expressed are mine! Mine! MINE! All Mine!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rhombus
At what point will this technology pay off and no longer need tax dollars to get it started and prop it up?

My guess would be that we'll never find out. Tax incentives are just another form of welfare, and once they start, they're nearly impossible to end.

14 posted on 01/18/2008 5:43:29 AM PST by meyer (Illegal Immigration - The profits are privatized, the costs are socialized.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: alnitak
Just don't try to put a wind farm in sight of Kennedy's marina, again.

He showed YOU COMMONERS what Green Power Wa$!

15 posted on 01/18/2008 5:43:59 AM PST by Gorzaloon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: saganite

The article stated capacity, which as you note is significantly different than generation. Your 33% capacity factor is optimistic. I think the industry average is in the range of 25-30%. Which is weird because if any other form of capacity produced in that range there’d be calls for whoever planned it to be sacked on the spot.


16 posted on 01/18/2008 5:44:20 AM PST by chimera
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: HD1200
we are told wind mills are stripping so much energy out of the winds across the plains that the weather is being negatively impacted

LOL! That was claimed yesterday on FR.

17 posted on 01/18/2008 5:47:52 AM PST by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: rhombus

“At what point will this technology pay off and no longer need tax dollars to get it started and prop it up?”

Solar power as well as any power that can be generated by water is probably a good thing. It’s a resource that is forever.

When I living in South Dakota, students at the school of Mines & Tech created an engine that got over 100 miles per gallon. The newspapers heralded it as a major breakthrough.

A couple of weeks later the engine was gone and the students were not talking. The press didn’t say a thing.

The only way in our lifetimes will we see anything other then the combustion engine is when environmentalists and business sit down together to discuss how we can best do this. Where business can continue to make the profits they are used to and the environment gets cleaner.

Really, there is no incentive for business to do it with the mandated government regulations that prohibit businesses from investment in these energy sources.


18 posted on 01/18/2008 5:51:59 AM PST by EQAndyBuzz (Hunter Thompson in 08.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: alnitak

Wonder how much that cost to put in and save 1% on our usage?


19 posted on 01/18/2008 5:54:06 AM PST by Hattie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: EQAndyBuzz
A couple of weeks later the engine was gone and the students were not talking. The press didn’t say a thing.

They didn't want to admit they had been fooled again.

20 posted on 01/18/2008 5:56:31 AM PST by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-107 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson