The U.S. market for small wind energy systems grew 15% in 2009, accounting for about half of the units sold in the entire world, the American Wind Energy Association said today.
Small wind systems are defined as those with rated capacities of 100 kilowatts (kW) or less, and are used primarily to power individual homes, farms, and small businesses.
The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) expanded the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for small wind turbines in 2009, allowing consumers to take 30% of the total cost of a small wind system as a tax credit. The ITC was perhaps the most important factor in last year’s small wind turbine market growth.
An estimated 100,000 small wind turbines are now installed in the U.S., bringing total small wind generating capacity to the 100-megawatts (MW) milestone.
The U.S. is the world’s leading manufacturer of small wind turbines: about two-thirds of all small wind systems sold in the world last year were made by U.S. manufacturers.
East Coat Wind Consortium
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and the governors of 10 East Coast states signed a Memorandum of Understanding that formally establishes an Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy Consortium.
All Atlantic coast states were invited to join. Signees included the governors of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding, the consortium will develop an action plan that sets forth priorities, goals, specific recommendations and steps for wind development on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf.
Salazar also announced the establishment of a new regional renewable
energy office to coordinate and appropriately expedite the development
of wind, solar and other renewable energy resources on the Atlantic
Outer Continental Shelf. The office will be located in Virginia.
NY Moves on Great Lakes Offshore Wind
New York Power Authority (NYPA) has announced the start of a multi-phase review process for five proposals vying to construct the Great Lakes Offshore Wind (GLOW) project or projects in the New York state waters of Lake Erie and/or Lake Ontario.
In December 2009, NYPA issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the development of a utility scale project in the range of 120 MW to 500 MW.
NYPA said it could not share any information about specific proposals during the review phase, which is expected to last about seven months.
The next phase is scheduled to take place later this year or in early 2011, when NYPA trustees will evaluate staff recommendations and select preferred developers.
EDF Energies Nouvelles Remains Upbeat on Wind
Demand for new wind farms has not abated despite the economic crisis, particularly in the United States where many utilities are already getting ready for a rebound in power needs, EDF Energies Nouvelles’ chief executive a Reuters forum.
Read the story at the link below.
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