Feb. 23

The wind and solar power generation industries are calling for large-scale improvement of the nation´s electric transmission infrastructure.

Inadequate transmission capacity is hampering U.S. renewable energy development, according to a white paper titled, "Green Power Superhighways: Building a Path to America´s Clean Energy Future." The American Wind Energy Association and the Solar Energy Industries Association released the paper, which is available at www.awea.org/GreenPowerSuperhighways.pdf .

"Just as President Eisenhower´s vision of a modern interstate highway system transformed commerce and transportation in our nation, the benefits of this kind of investment by our generation will far exceed the costs," said Denise Bode, CEO of the AWEA.

Bode estimates transmission limitations are holding up nearly 300,000 megawatts of wind power development.

Infrastructure investment also will create thousands of jobs in parts of the country the recession has hit hard, said Rhone Resch, CEO of the SEIA.

E-mail Waste News reporter Joe Truini at jtruini@crain.com

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