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U.S. Leads World in Wind Energy |
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Wednesday, 20 August 2008 |
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The United States has taken over from previous champion Germany in wind power production. For this USA has to be thankful to nature and human resource that produce technology. Nature has gifted USA with stronger wind than Germany. Randall Swisher, the executive director of the American Wind Energy Association, said that the US wind energy capacity is growing faster than anyplace else. But if we try to view those stats differently, Germany harnesses seven percent of their power from wind and Denmark generates twenty percent of power from wind. Wind energy only constitutes 1.2% of total power consumption in America. Current fuel prices and tax incentives have created a favorable environment for wind energy related projects. The American Wind Energy Association also estimates that by the end of the year 2008, some 7,500MW of wind energy will be brought online in America. This rise will be a 45% increase from previous year (2007). Another reason for increased pace of development in wind power is due to an environment of uncertainty. The federal tax incentives and rebates are expiring in 2008. People and organizations tried to avail these incentives. Layoffs will be in the offing if the incentives would not be continued in 2009. Though the wind industry will try to absorb the shock but the ultimate brunt will be borne by the consumer. The Congress must put clean energy solutions into its top agenda because unemployment rate is already a 4-year high and the economy needs a push in the right direction. Wind power projects can generate jobs and at the same time they can reduce America’s dependence on foreign sources of power generation. Now the ball is in the legislatures’ court. AlternativeEnergyNews No one has commented on this article.
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