February 7, 2006—Wind power generating capacity increased by 27% in 2006 and is expected to increase an additional 26% in 2007, proving wind is now a mainstream option for new power generation, according to a market forecast released by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).
Wind’s exponential growth reflects the nation’s increasing demand for clean, safe and domestic energy, and continues to attract both private and public sources of capital, says AWEA.
The US wind energy industry installed 2,454 megawatts (MW) of new generating capacity in 2006, an investment of approximately $4 billion, billing wind as one of the largest sources of new power generation in the country second only to natural gas — for the second year in a row.
Wind energy facilities currently installed in the US will produce an estimated 31 billion kilowatt-hours annually or enough electricity to serve 2.9 million American homes. This 100% clean source of electricity will displace approximately 23 million tons of carbon dioxide — the leading greenhouse gas — each year, which would otherwise be emitted by coal, natural gas, oil and other traditional energy sources, AWEA notes.
AWEA promotes wind energy as a clean source of electricity for consumers around the world. For more information, visit the Web site.
