What is the state of the wind power industry in the US today?
• US wind power, installed across 35 states, covers just over 1% of the nation’s electricity consumption, but this figure is growing. • In the first quarter of 2008, US wind energy put 1400 MW or approximately $3 billion worth of new generating capacity in place – enough to serve the equivalent of 400,000 American homes. • Support for clean energy in the US is growing steadily. Concerns about climate change have spurred many industries, policy makers, environmentalists, and utilities to call for reductions in green house gas emissions. Governments at many levels have enacted policies to support clean energy, such as the renewable energy tax credit, and state Renewable Portfolio Standards (or clean energy goals). More than 30 states now have climate action plans. • With enormous tracts of land and abundant wind resources, the US has outstanding potential to generate substantial amounts of energy from wind. • General Electric, for instance, projects that half of the new generating capaci
