The U.S. wind energy industry is on track to installing a record-breaking 3,000 megawatts (MW) this year — generating enough electricity to power approximately 600,000 homes — the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) said today in its First Quarter Market Report.
Construction is under way on a number of facilities scheduled for completion in 2006. 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. Overall, the industry is planning to invest over $4 billion in new wind energy capacity this year.
“Wind power is a clean, safe, domestic source of renewable energy, and it helps protect consumers against rising fuel prices,” said AWEA executive director Randall Swisher. “The market is recognizing wind energy’s value.”
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 U.S. 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.
More of these positive outcomes could be held up, however, by concern over potential effects on civilian or military radar. Action by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regional offices and the Department of Defense (DOD) has effectively halted development of several pending wind energy facilities and the potential exists for more such shutdowns. Installation of the vast majority of proposed projects is on schedule, but a total of at least 500 MW due for completion this year and next is now under a de facto moratorium, according to initial AWEA estimates, and that number could grow if the issue is not swiftly and appropriately resolved as part of the project siting process.
The possibility of radar interference has been known for a long time, and a variety of solutions already exist: wind turbines and radars function successfully in areas at home and abroad where wind turbines are in operation (including on military bases such as Guantanamo Bay and Wyoming’s F.E. Warren Air Force Base). 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.
President Bush recently recognized the importance of wind energy for the nation’s security, noting that wind energy could contribute 20% of U.S. electricity supply (approximately the share that nuclear power provides today).
A state-by-state listing of existing and proposed wind energy projects is available on AWEA’s Web site at the following website.
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