Has the Sheen Been Blown Off Wind?
Q: With recent Exxon Mobil ads relegating wind to less than one
percent of future energy use and recent introduction of legislation to
restrict wind farms by Senators Alexander and Warner, has the sheen been
blown off wind?
- Haley R, Winchester, Virginia
A: No, quite the opposite is true. "The World Energy Outlook
2004" released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) concluded that
under the IEA's "Reference Scenario," electricity generated from renewable
energy will increase by a factor of six. The global wind power industry
installed nearly 8,000 MW of new wind turbines in 2004, according to the
Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) and Europe continued to dominate the
world wind power market, installing 5,774 MW that accounted for 72.4
percent of the growth in 2004. Total world wind capacity is now at 47,317
MW.
United Kingdom's Sustainable Development Commission is about to release a
report that concludes wind power is a better alternative than nuclear
energy for addressing climate change. The commission's 176-page report, to
be published shortly, concludes that "wind power, along with other
renewables, offers the only truly sustainable domestically sourced option
for electric generation over the long term." The Commission was financed
by the pro-nuclear Trade and Industry Department, and it concludes that
wind energy is quiet, economic and cheaper than nuclear power.
Again in May, the Sioux City Journal reported that the Iowa House passed
tax credits for alternative energy producers, primarily benefiting wind.
The bill, approved on a 79-16 vote, awarded tax credits to small
alternative energy producers and is on its way to Gov. Tom Vilsack for
signature. Iowa facilities that produce less than 2.5 MW of power from
wind, biomass, hydrogen or other alternative sources are eligible for tax
credits starting in July 2006.
And in April and May, new short fact sheets were released highlighting the
emissions reduction, energy and jobs, and local rural development assets
of wind, The Wind Powering America Fact Sheet Series issued: Improving
Regional Air Quality with Wind Energy which provides an overview of how
electricity generated from zero-emission wind energy can help states and
municipalities improve air quality, achieve attainment of Clean Air Act
standards, and reduce pollution control costs for taxpayers -- and
provides a case study about the purchase of wind energy by Montgomery
County, Maryland. And also, Wind Energy Benefits sheet highlighting
today's rising coal and gas prices, and how new wind plants compete
favorably against any new electricity generation source, and succinctly
describes the top ten benefits of wind energy, including the growth of new
jobs and tax revenues. And finally, a Rural Economic Development Case
Study describing how the Tjaden family of Iowa pursued Dept of Agriculture
program Section 9006 funding in pursuit of a wind turbine for their family
farm.
While there are clearly challenges to some wind projects, the future is
looking quite solid for offshore, larger grid-tied, and small on-site wind
generation than ever before.
- Scott Sklar