June 5, 2006—The US wind energy industry is on track to installing a record-breaking 3,000 megawatts (MW) in 2006, generating enough electricity to power approximately 600,000 homes, according to the American Wind Energy Association’s (AWEA) First Quarter Market Report.
Overall, the industry is planning to invest over $4 billion in new wind energy capacity this year, with construction under way on a number of facilities.
Over 400 MW of new plants have already been brought online since January, including the 150-MW Shiloh Wind Farm in California, the 60-MW Spring Creek Wind Farm in Colorado, and the 60-MW completion of the first phase of the Maple Ridge project in upstate New York.
In addition, Hawaii and New Jersey gained their first utility-scale wind projects, with the completion of a 10.56-MW facility on the Big Island and the commencement of commercial operation of the 7.5-MW Jersey-Atlantic Wind Farm in Atlantic City.
The industry broke annual installed capacity records in 2005, installing over 2,400 MW or over $3 billion worth of new generating equipment in 22 states. Wind farms were the second-largest source of new power generation built in the US in 2005, after new natural gas power plants. America’s wind farm fleet is currently saving an estimated half a billion cubic feet of natural gas per day (Bcf/day), alleviating a portion of the tight supply pressure that is driving up prices and imports of the fuel, reports AWEA.
However, federal action has halted the development of several pending wind energy facilities because of concern over potential effects on civilian or military radar. The possibility of radar interference has been known for a long time, and a variety of solutions already exist, says AWEA. AWEA recognizes and respects the paramount importance of any concerns relating to security, and supports resolving legitimate problems as quickly as possible.
AWEA also believes that rapid development of domestic energy sources is vital to national security.
A state-by-state listing of existing and proposed wind energy projects is available from AWEA.
