U.S. wind energy industry is doing quite well too (It’s not all about solar)
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Aug 22, 2014Original link: http://www.smartgridnews.com/artman/publish/Technologies_DG_Renewables/U-S-wind-energy-industry-is-doing-quite-well-too-It-s-not-all-about-solar-6712.html/#.VAdaIWNdx5-
The
U.S. wind energy industry generally gets overlooked as the solar
industry grabs the biggest share of the spotlight in the renewables
world. Solar is getting cheaper almost by the day. Many expect rooftop
solar coupled with energy storage to be the next big thing, and the net
metering debate continues.
But
two new Energy Department reports say U.S. wind energy is quite
healthy, thank you. DOE considers wind power to be a “key component” of
the strategy to cut carbon pollution, diversify the country’s energy economy and more. Scan the press release below for an overview and click on the links for more detail.
Energy Department Reports Highlight Strength of U.S. Wind Energy Industry
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Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. continues to be a global leader in wind energy, ranking second in installed capacity in the world, according to two reports released today by the Department of Energy.
Wind power is a key component of the nation’s all-of-the-above strategy to reduce carbon pollution, diversify our energy economy, and bring innovative technologies on line. With increasing wind energy generation and decreasing prices of wind energy technologies, the U.S. wind energy market remains strong and the U.S. is moving closer to doubling renewable electricity generation from energy resources like wind power yet again by 2020.
“As
a readily expandable, domestic source of clean, renewable energy, wind
power is paving the way to a low-carbon future that protects our air and
water while providing affordable, renewable electricity to American
families and businesses,” said Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. “However,
the continued success of the U.S. wind industry highlights the
importance of policies like the Production Tax Credit that provide a
solid framework for America to lead the world in clean energy innovation
while also keeping wind manufacturing and jobs in the U.S.”
Wind Technologies Market Report
After
modest growth in 2013, total installed wind power capacity in the
United States now stands at 61 gigawatts (GW), which meets nearly 4.5
percent of electricity demand in an average year, according to the 2013 Wind Technologies Market Report, released
today by the Energy Department and its Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory. The report also found that wind energy prices – particularly
in the Interior region of the United States–are at an all-time low,
with utilities selecting wind as a cost-saving option.
With
utility-scale turbines installed in more than 39 states and
territories, the success of the U.S. wind industry has had a ripple
effect on the American economy, spurring more than $500 million in
exports and supporting jobs related to development, siting,
manufacturing, transportation and other industries.
Distributed Wind Market Report
In
total, U.S. turbines in distributed applications, which accounted for
more than 80 percent of all wind turbines installed in the U.S. last
year, reached a cumulative installed capacity of more than 842 MW–enough
to power 120,000 average American homes–according to the 2013 Distributed Wind Market Report,
also released today by the Energy Department and its Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory. This capacity is supplied by roughly 72,000
turbines across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
In fact, a total of 14 states, including Iowa, Nevada and California,
among others, now each have more than 10 MW of distributed wind
capacity.
Compared to traditional, centralized power plants, distributed wind energy installations
supply power directly to the local grid near homes, farms, businesses
and communities. Turbines used in these applications can range in size
from a few hundred watts to multi-megawatts, and can help power remote,
off-grid homes and farms as well as local schools and manufacturing
facilities.
