Report: Iowa Leads Nation in Producing Its Power from Wind
by Stacy Feldman - Apr 3rd, 2008
The trend continues. The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has just announced its annual rankings of wind power leadership in the US for 2007. And the findings can be summed up in three words: strong growth, again.
But there was at least one new finding.
While Texas easily retained its #1 position in both total and new wind power in 2007, Iowa showed that it too has a robust arsenal of wind turbines in its energy portfolio.
It now leads the nation with wind generation on a percentage basis, producing 5.5 percent of its total energy from wind. Texas came in at 2 percent.
Here are the highlights:
- Since 2006, Texas has increased its wind power capacity by 60 percent, and now boasts a total of 4,446 MW, and growing.
- Minnesota, Iowa, Washington and Colorado all broke the 1,000 MW barrier in total capacity in 2007.
- GE is the nation’s largest turbine maker in America with 1,560 turbines and a total generating capacity of 2,340 MW.
- FPL Energy operates the largest single wind farm in the US in Horse Hollow, Texas, which generates 736 MW.
All in all, U.S. wind power capacity shot up 45 percent last year and is now over 16,800 MW. That’s enough to serve the equivalent of 4.5 million average households.
AWEA gave credit where credit is due in its report -- to the federal renewable energy tax incentive that has spurred steady investment in the sector for three straight years and is set to expire in December 2008.
Hence this not so subtle warning it delivered to Washington:
Previous short-term extensions have led to a boom-and-bust cycle in the wind industry, increasing costs along the entire supply chain and preventing businesses from growing to their full potential. Studies indicate that an expiration of the tax credit will place $19 billion in renewable energy investment and 116,000 American jobs at risk.
Source: American Wind Energy Assoication's Annual Rankings, April 2, 2008 (pdf)
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Power to the Wind
Thank you OPEC countries! at last we have been forced through your greed to find other means for fueling our prosperity, and we have! When the reduced demand for oil lets it slide to about $50 a barrel, and you find you can't eat it either, come and see us. We'll sell you a nice windmill or two, how's that for friendly?
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