Wind Turbine Power Is On The March!
The AWEA (American Wind Energy Association)just announced some very encouraging numbers.
In 2010, the domestic wind energy output of new projects grew by 15%. Now that seems like a lot, but consider that the industry grew by an average 39% over the past 5 years!
This is almost beyond belief considering the double-digit unemployment and massive waves of businesses shutting their doors recently.
Even more impressive is the way 2011 has started out of the starting block - there are about double the amount of new wind energy projects this year than in 2010.
Why?
Primarily, the feeling that we are running out of the oil. The Middle East is an increasingly unstable place to do business. Even critics of renewable energy acknowledge that fossil fuel sources are finite and one day will go away.
All these factors are working to have a snowballing effect on the wind turbine power industry. As more and more people and companies buy into the wind concept, prices continue to come down to a point where wind generators are affordable to more and more people.
Elizabeth Salerno, (chief AWEA economist), says, "Wind prices are very affordable right now." She also said that the AWEA suspects utilities and others will feel increasingly comfortable locking into prices in the 20-30 year range, because wind energy is such a stable source of power.
AWEA also says that the U.S. is on a course to make 20% of all electricity from wind by 2030. That was a goal set down by the Bush administration. The state of California has made a target goal that 33% of its power will come from renewable sources by 2020 - obviously, a much more ambitious goal, but that 33% includes solar and geothermal sources.
The following are a few facts about U.S. wind energy:
• Wind turbine power worldwide supplies 65,000,000 kilowatt-hours a year - that will supply 6,000,000 homes electricity in 2010.
• Wind resources supply 16,000,000 kilowatt-hours a year in the U.S. now, which will supply about 1,600,000 homes.
• 25,000,000 houses will be powered by wind by 2020.
• It costs $.02/kWh-$.06/kWh to install new wind power now.
Large projects in the 1.5 megawatt range constitute the majority of new projects. Although, small turbines for homes are an increasing market segment for the industry. New capacity mounted on roofs and tower systems on farms are also a growing part of U.S. wind energy production.
President Obama has reemphasized his commitment to expand renewable energy in the U.S. by continuing the personal income tax credit of 30% for the total installed cost of new wind projects.
With continuing backing by the government and available investment cash from a stronger economy, wind turbine power is poised for explosive growth in the next several years.
About the Author
Roger G. Brown has been an energy engineer for 20 years and has saved millions of dollars on power bills. If you want to learn how to reduce the check you write to your utility each month, check out Roger's tips at http://windturbinealternatives.com . .
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