February 9 , 2004—Nearly 1,700 megawatts (MW) of new wind electric generating capacity—enough to serve approximately 425,000 average homes—were installed in the US in 2003, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) reported on January 22. The trade group says that the 1,687 MW of new wind power constructed is topped only by the 1,696 MW installed in 2001. Current installed capacity in the US is now over 6,370 MW, with utility-scale wind turbines installed in 30 states.
The new wind capacity will displace emissions of three million tons of carbon dioxide (the leading greenhouse gas), according to AWEA. The wind farms completed in 2003 will generate approximately $5 million in payments to landowners annually and create some 200 skilled, long-term jobs in areas where such employment is scarce, as well as short-term construction jobs and associated economic activity.
AWEA says the near-record performance for the American wind industry is overshadowed, however, by the failure of Congress to pass comprehensive energy legislation including a three-year extension of the wind energy production tax credit (PTC), an incentive that is vital to the industry’s future growth. The credit expired December 31, 2003, leading to layoffs, stalled projects, and a negative near-term market outlook.
AWEA urges Congress to act quickly to extend the PTC so the American public can reap the rewards of a growing base of fuel- and emission-free wind power. AWEA says that 2004 could have been an even better year than 2003 had the PTC extension in the energy bill gone into effect. There are reportedly thousands of megawatts of projects, representing billions of dollars in investments, that could move quickly if Congress takes action early in the year.
The large buildup in capacity is a 36% increase over the installed wind power base in the US at the beginning of the year. More wind power in the nation’s power portfolio, AWEA says, means less reliance on fossil fuels, more economic development in rural areas, and more pollution-free electric power. With the PTC incentive, wind power is now in an increasingly competitive range with other generation sources, and the cost of wind-generated electricity is not affected by fuel price volatility.
