The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has announced the formation of new national advocacy group for the wind industry, intended to be the largest wind energy development organization in the United States.
The group, Wind Energy Works!, is being formed to educate the public about the merits of wind energy and to counterbalance the misinformation being spread by wind energy opponents.
"Wind energy works because it is one of the cleanest, most environmentally friendly energy sources in the world, helps reduce our country’s dependence on foreign sources of energy, creates wind jobs and supports local economies," said Randall Swisher, Executive Director of the American Wind Energy Association. "But despite all of these benefits, there is an ongoing effort by wind energy opponents to mislead the public and hinder or block further wind energy development across the country. This new coalition will make the positive case for continued wind energy development and engage the public with the facts."
A May 2005 Yale University poll confirmed that Americans favor the use of wind energy – 87% say they support expanding wind farms.
Charter members include: Earth Policy Institute, the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, the Izaak Walton League of America, Union of Concerned Scientists, the American Corn Growers Association, the American Corn Growers Foundation, Prowers County Development, Inc., and The Regeneration Project/Interfaith Power and Light. Wind and renewable energy advocacy organization members include: AWEA, Renewable Energy Long Island, Western Resource Advocates, the Renewable Northwest Project, Wind Power New York, Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future, the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies (CEERT), The Wind Coalition, Green Energy Ohio, Wind on the Wires, the Interwest Energy Alliance, Clean Energy Partnership, Renew Wisconsin, West Wind Wires, Minnesotans for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ME3), and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.
AWEA spearheaded the formation of the group, but over time its goal is to become a broad-based alliance in support of wind energy from the environmental, agricultural, business, health, social justice, faith, and academic communities.
"By combining the resources of its members and creating a unified message and communication infrastructure, the coalition will engage in every aspect of the wind energy conversation across this country and let no myth or falsehood about wind go unanswered without the facts about wind energy’s tremendous benefits," said Coalition Steering Committee Member Susan Sloan of The Wind Coalition (Austin, Texas). "The strength and effectiveness of this coalition will be greater than the sum of its parts."
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