U.S. Wind Energy Industry Breaks All Records, Installs
Nearly 10,000 MW in 2009
WASHINGTON, Jan 26, 2010 -- BUSINESS WIRE
The U.S. wind industry broke all previous records by installing nearly
10,000 megawatts (MW) of new generating capacity in 2009 (enough to
serve over 2.4 million homes), but still lags in manufacturing, the
American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) said today in its Q4 report.
These new projects place wind power neck and neck with natural gas(1) as
the leading source of new electricity generation for the country.
Together, the two sources account for about 80% of the new capacity
added in the country last year.
"The U.S. wind energy industry shattered all installation records in
2009, chalking up the Recovery Act as a historic success in creating
jobs, avoiding carbon, and protecting consumers," said AWEA CEO Denise
Bode. "But U.S. wind turbine manufacturing -- the canary in the mine --
is down compared to last year's levels, and needs long-term policy
certainty and market pull in order to grow. We need to set hard targets,
in the form of a national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES), in order
to provide the necessary stability for manufacturers to expand their
U.S. operations and to seize the historic opportunity we have today to
build up a thriving renewable energy industry."
Early last year, before the Recovery Act (ARRA), the industry
anticipated that in 2009 wind power development might drop by as much as
50% from 2008 levels, with equivalent job losses. The clear commitment
by the President to create clean energy jobs and the swift
implementation of ARRA incentives by the Administration in mid-summer
reversed the situation. Recovery Act incentives spurred the growth of
construction, operations and maintenance, and management jobs, helping
the industry to save and create jobs in those sectors and shine as a
bright spot in the economy.
At the same time, the continuing lack of a long-term policy and market
signal allowed investment in the manufacturing sector to drop compared
to 2008, with one-third fewer wind power manufacturing facilities
online, announced and expanded in 2009. The result was net job losses in
the manufacturing sector, which were compounded by low orders and high
inventory. Looking forward, the critical Recovery Act manufacturing
incentives that were announced only at the start of this year will also
need to be supplemented with the hard targets of a national Renewable
Electricity Standard.
With 4,041 MW completed, this fourth quarter was the strongest in the
year but still lower than the fourth quarter of 2008.
The 9,922 MW installed last year expand the nation's wind plant fleet by
39% and bring total wind power generating capacity in the U.S to over
35,000 MW. The five-year average annual growth rate for the industry is
now 39%, up from 32% between 2003 and 2008. U.S. wind projects today
generate enough to power the equivalent of 9.7 million homes, protecting
consumers from fuel price volatility and strengthening our energy
security.
America's wind power fleet will avoid an estimated 62 million tons of
carbon dioxide annually, equivalent to taking 10.5 million cars off the
road, and will conserve approximately 20 billion gallons of water
annually, which would otherwise be withdrawn for steam or cooling in
conventional power plants.
The Q4 report is available on AWEA's Web site at http://www.awea.org/publications/reports/4Q09.pdf
.
A full projects map and list will be updated at http://www.awea.org/projects/
.
A full Wind Industry Market and Rankings Report will be available in
April 2010.
AWEA is the national trade association of America's wind industry, with
more than 2,500 member companies, including global leaders in wind power
and energy development, wind turbine manufacturing, component and
service suppliers, and the world's largest wind power trade show. AWEA
is the voice of wind energy in the U.S., promoting renewable energy to
power a cleaner, stronger America. Look up information on wind energy at
the AWEA Web site. Find insight on industry issues at AWEA's blog Into
the Wind. Join AWEA on Facebook. Follow AWEA on Twitter.
(1) Based on initial numbers reported for the natural gas industry.
SOURCE: American Wind Energy Association
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