AWEA reports that construction is under way on a number of facilities
scheduled for completion in 2006. More than 400 MW of new plants have been
brought online since January, including the 150-MW Shiloh Wind Farm in
California, the 60-MW Spring Creek Wind Farm in Colorado and the 60-MW
completion of the first phase of the Maple Ridge project in upstate New
York. Overall, the industry is planning to invest more than $4 billion in
new wind energy capacity this year.
"Wind power is a clean, safe, domestic source of renewable energy, and it
helps protect consumers against rising fuel prices," said Randall Swisher,
AWEA executive director. "The market is recognizing wind energy's value."
In 2005, the industry broke annual installed capacity records, installing
more than 2,400 MW or more than $3 billion worth of new generating
equipment in 22 states. Wind farms were the second-largest source of new
power generation built in the U.S. in 2005, after new natural gas power
plants. America's wind farm fleet is currently saving an estimated half a
billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, alleviating a portion of the
tight supply pressure that is driving up prices and imports of the fuel.
More of these positive outcomes could be held up, however, by concern over
potential effects on civilian or military radar. Action by Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) regional offices and the Department of
Defense (DOD) has effectively halted development of several pending wind
energy facilities and the potential exists for more such shutdowns.
The possibility of radar interference has been known for a long time, and
a variety of solutions already exist: wind turbines and radars function
successfully in areas at home and abroad where wind turbines are in
operation (including on military bases such as Guantanamo Bay and
Wyoming's F.E. Warren Air Force Base). AWEA said they recognize and
respect the paramount importance of any concerns relating to security, and
support resolving legitimate problems as quickly as possible. AWEA also
believes that rapid development of domestic energy sources is vital to
national security.
A state-by-state listing of existing and proposed wind energy projects on
AWEA's website: http://www.awea.org/projects/index.html. Find projects
installed in 2005 on AWEA's newsroom:
http://www.awea.org/newsroom/2005_projects.pdf.
