September 11, 2006—US wind energy installations now exceed 10,000 megawatts (MW) in generating capacity, and produce enough electricity on a typical day to power the equivalent of over 2.5 million homes, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) announced in August.
AWEA says the record growth in wind power is driven by demand for the popular energy source and concerns over fuel price volatility and supply. It was also made possible by a timely renewal of the production tax credit (PTC) a year ago. AWEA is calling for a long-term extension of the PTC before its scheduled expiration at the end of 2007 to avoid further “on-again-off-again” cycles and to encourage long-term investment.
To mark the 10,000-megawatt milestone, AWEA released statistics to illustrate some of the economic, environmental, and energy security benefits of wind power development. The statistics are available on AWEA’s site.
