May 21, 2008—The US wind energy industry installed 1,400 megawatts (MW) of new wind power capacity during the first quarter of 2008, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA)’s first-quarter market report. With more than 4,000 MW of additional wind power capacity now under construction, the industry is on pace to meet or exceed last year’s record installed capacity of 5,249 MW (AWEA recently adjusted this number upward from its earlier figure of 5,244 MW).
More than half of the new capacity was built in Texas, location of the largest new facility, the 209-MW Roscoe Wind Farm, which was built by Airtricity, Inc. and is located about 50 miles west of Abilene. The largest new facility under construction is the 400-MW Fowler Ridge Wind Farm in Indiana, located 90 miles northwest of Indianapolis. That project and the nearby 130.5-MW Benton County Wind Farm will be the first major wind facilities in Indiana.
But despite the wind industry’s current breakneck pace and geographical expansion, AWEA warns that construction could stall next year if the production tax credit is not renewed. The tax credit expires at the end of the year and could result in a rush to complete the current projects before the year’s end.
The AWEA report also notes that more wind turbine components are now being manufactured in the US. At least 17 manufacturing facilities were either brought online or expanded in 2007 and early 2008, and over the past three years the percentage of US-made components has increased from less than 30% to more than 50%. That trend looks likely to continue, as Siemens has announced plans to double its wind blade manufacturing capacity in Iowa, while Vestas Wind Systems plans to build a manufacturing plant for wind turbine towers in Colorado, says AWEA.
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