Wind advocates see 2003 as boom, bust:
Boom: Nearly 1,700 mw of new wind power capacity -- enough to serve around 425,000 homes -- was installed in the US in 2003 making it the second best year ever, slipping in just behind 2001.
Bust: Renewal of the wind energy production tax credit (PTC) was wrapped up in the so-far doomed Christmas tree energy bill. The earlier incentive expired Dec 31 "leading to layoffs, stalled projects and a negative near-term market outlook," noted the American Wind Energy Assn. Installed US wind power grew 36% in 2003 and capacity has grown at an average rate of 28%/year for the last five years.
(Story originally published in Restructuring Today 1/28/04)