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AWEA News Archives: 1996 - 2000
Give the Gift of a Cleaner Environment With our "Windy" Gift List
18 November, 2004 - What could be a better present for our loved ones than unspoiled nature in all its beauty? Still, it’s a little hard to wrap. So, to make things easier, the American Wind Energy Association would like to provide a small sample of the items that are now being made with electricity from wind power, a pollution-free, clean, domestic resource. AWEA News Release
Tax Credit Extension Puts Wind Energy Back to Work: 2005 Expected to Break Capacity Installation Records
28 October, 2004 - With the extension of the federal wind energy production tax credit in September, capacity installations in 2005 look likely to beat all previous records, AWEA said today in its quarterly U.S. market outlook. The previous high for new wind power capacity installations in one year was 1,696 megawatts in 2001. Most industry participants agree that 2005 will be a better year, with some predicting installations to exceed 2,500 MW. AWEA News Release
Wind Power Development Can Create Thousands of Manufacturing Jobs in States Hardest Hit by Recent Job Losses, Study Finds
13 October, 2004 - Boosting U.S. wind energy installations to approximately eight times today's levels could create 150,000 manufacturing jobs nationwide, with most jobs being added in the 20 states that have lost the most over the past three years, according to a report released today by the Renewable Energy Policy Project (REPP). AWEA News Release
U.S. Wind Industry Releases Guide to Facilitate Creation of Utility Green Power Programs
4 October 2004 - To help utilities large and small navigate their way through the green power market AWEA has published the Green Pricing Resource Guide, designed to introduce power providers to all the concepts they need to be aware of to create a successful green pricing program. The guide is being released on the first day of the Ninth National Green Power Marketing Conference being held in Albany, N.Y. Organized by the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Center for Resource Solutions, this conference features experts from the field exploring strategies to increase the development of renewable energy resources through customer choice. AWEA News Release
Renewable Portfolio Standard Adopted by New York State
24 September 2004 - AWEA applauds the New York Public Service Commission, PSC Chairman Flynn and Governor Pataki for their efforts in promoting and adopting a Renewable Portfolio Standard for New York. The Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) adopted on Wednesday will establish the state as a leader in the field of renewable energy and ensure that by 2013 New York citizens get 25 percent of their electricity from clean, renewable energy sources such as wind power. AWEA News Release
Wind Energy Tax Incentive Wins Extension to End of 2005
24 September 2004 - Washington, D.C.--The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) said today that the wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC)--a critical factor in financing new wind power installations--will be reinstated through 2005 as part of a major tax package (H.R. 1308) extending a number of individual and business tax provisions. The House and Senate approved the bill last night, and President Bush is expected to sign it into law. The PTC provides a 1.5 cent-per-kilowatt-hour tax credit (adjusted annually for inflation) for electricity generated with wind turbines. AWEA News Release
Second Quarter Market Report: American Wind Industry Needs Consistent Business Environment to Bring Wind Power's Promise to the Country
10 August 2004 - Wind projects totaling more than 2,000 megawatts (MW) in capacity - enough to power more than half a million American homes - are awaiting the expected renewal of a major federal tax incentive, AWEA said today in its quarterly U.S. market outlook. New projects in the pipeline amount to more than $2 billion in business, said AWEA executive director Randall Swisher, and they are ready to provide millions of dollars of badly-needed tax revenues and hundreds of skilled jobs to rural counties around the nation, once Congress renews the wind energy production tax credit (PTC). AWEA News Release
New York Governor's Renewable Energy Initiative Takes Big Step Forward
4 June 2004 - AWEA today welcomed the Recommended Decision by a New York Administrative Law Judge on the renewable energy requirement announced by Governor George Pataki to generate 25% of New York's electricity from renewable sources by 2013, up from about 18% today. The decision comes on the heels of announcements regarding two large wind energy projects in the state: the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) is finalizing the selection of a developer to construct a 140-MW offshore wind farm, and the NY Public Service Commission (PSC) recently provided the necessary approvals for a 300-MW wind project in up-state New York. AWEA News Release
AWEA Statement for Bonn "Renewables 2004" Conference
1 June 2004 - AWEA supports the efforts of the International Renewable Energy Conference ("Renewables 2004") to promote renewable energy to help reduce the threat of climate change. The statement draws attention to several characteristics of wind power as it is developing in the U.S., which underscore the potential of this technology to provide a large share of the country's — and the world's — power, while delivering compound environmental and economic benefits. AWEA calls for a number of actions to remove barriers to large-scale development of wind power in the U.S. AWEA Statement
First Quarter Report: Wind Industry Trade Group Sees Little to No Growth in 2004, Following Near-Record Expansion in 2003
12 May 2004 - The balance of 2004 looks like a difficult period for the U.S. wind energy industry. AWEA said today that it is forecasting little to no growth in installed wind generating capacity this year, compared with a near-record 1,687 megawatts (MW) (enough to serve nearly 500,000 homes) of new capacity installed in 2003. AWEA News Release
Investment in Energy Infrastructure is Critically Needed, Broad-Ranging Coalition Tells Senate Leaders
30 April 2004 - Over 100 companies and national organizations called upon the Senate leadership today to take immediate action on S.1637, the “JOBS" bill. Organizations joining the letter represent every aspect of the American economy ranging from agriculture and manufacturing to home building and renewable technologies. The group emphasized that the bill’s provisions encouraging investment in domestic energy supply and infrastructure are "critical to US economic recovery." AWEA News Release
Trade Group Welcomes Maryland Clean Energy Bill
15 April 2004 - AWEA welcomes the passage by the Maryland legislature of a forward-looking bill that calls for a growing share of the state's electricity to come from renewable sources like the wind and sun. AWEA Statement
AWEA Applauds North American Energy Summit for Focus on Renewable Energy
14 April 2004 - AWEA applauds New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, the Western Governors Association and the organizers of the North American Energy Summit in Albuquerque for focusing attention on the critical energy issues facing the Western United States and the entire nation. AWEA Statement
Largest-Ever Global Wind Industry Conference Highlights Advances in Technology, Calls on Governments to Lift Barriers to Large-Scale Expansion of Wind Power
31 March 2004 - The global wind energy industry today concluded its largest conference in history, hosting more than 3,600 attendees at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois. It was the first time the global wind industry has met in the United States. AWEA News Release
Wind Energy Comes of Age: Global Wind Energy Sector Celebrates Success, Tackles Challenges
25 March 2004 - The wind energy industry celebrated a near-record breaking year in 2003, adding more than 8,000 megawatts (MW) of wind energy capacity in more than two dozen nations. The new wind sector investment is worth $9 billion, up from $7 billion in 2002. The total world capacity of 39,294MW provides enough to power the equivalent of 9 million average American homes. AWEA News Release
Leaders Recognized for Key Roles in Advancing Wind Energy Markets
24 March 2004 - AWEA will recognize a diverse group of business leaders, advocates, and policymakers as the most influential voices in the development of the wind power industry at the Global WINDPOWER 2004 Conference and Exhibition. Global WINDPOWER 2004 is the first worldwide wind industry event to be held in the U.S. It will take place in Chicago, Ill., March 28-31, and feature over 220 exhibitors and pavilions, and over 3,000 expected attendees. Some $9 billion in global investment flowed into wind power projects in 2003. AWEA News Release
Global WINDPOWER 2004 to Highlight Financing Issues
15 March 2004 - The upcoming Global WINDPOWER 2004 Conference and Exhibition, scheduled for Chicago, Ill., March 28-31, will feature four sessions on financing of wind energy projects as part of a new strategic initiative by the American Wind Energy Association to encourage investment in this emerging industry. AWEA News Release.
Global Wind Power Growth Continues to Strengthen
10 March 2004 - The global wind power industry installed 8,133 megawatts in 2003, according to figures released today by the American Wind Energy Association and European Wind Energy Association, bringing the world's total wind power generating capacity to 39,294 MW. Joint AWEA/EWEA News Release
Unusual Alliance Hopes to Keep Bats out of Wind Turbines
4 March 2004 - Conservationists, industry officials and federal agencies are joining forces to address an unexpected side effect of renewable wind energy. Bats in some parts of the country show an unexplained tendency to collide with the blades of wind turbines. AWEA News Release
BOOM: 2003 Close to Best Year Ever for New Wind Installations BUST: Expiration of Key Incentive Lowers Hopes for 2004
22 January 2004 - Nearly 1,700 megawatts of new wind electric generating capacity — enough to serve approximately 425,000 average homes — were installed in the U.S. in 2003, AWEA said today. AWEA News Release
Most Presidential Candidates Strongly Support Wind Power Development in the U.S., Trade Group Finds
16 January 2004 - The majority of Presidential candidates in the Democratic party strongly support a range of policies to develop wind energy in the U. S., according to the results of a survey distributed by AWEA and released today. AWEA News Release
Give a Gift of a Cleaner Environment with AWEA's "Windy" Gift List
9 December 2003 - Gourmet coffee, hot sauce, beauty products -- these are just a few of the gifts you can give this holiday season with benefits that go beyond the gift itself, helping lead the way to a cleaner environment by harnessing the wind, a pollution-free, domestic resource. AWEA News Release
Energy Bill Stalls in Congress; Wind Production Tax Credit Will Expire
25 November 2003 - The wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) will expire at the end of next month without being extended, causing yet another damaging "boom-and-bust" cycle for the industry, AWEA said today. Congressional leaders announced last night that they were shelving the wide-ranging energy bill until next year over unresolved regional and partisan disagreements. AWEA News Release
Wind Group Raises Forecast for New Power Plant Installations
20 August 2003 - AWEA reported today that the U.S. looks likely to install 1,400-1,600 MW of new wind power this year, reducing demand for natural gas and bringing new jobs and tax revenues to cash-strapped states, while at the same time helping to achieve cleaner air. AWEA warned that the wind industry's future beyond year's end will be strongly influenced by whether Congress extends the wind production tax credit (PTC) scheduled to expire Dec. 31. AWEA News Release
U.S. Senate Makes History, Again, By Passing National Renewable Portfolio Standard
1 August 2003 - AWEA applauded last night’s passage of the 2002 Senate energy bill that includes a national renewable energy portfolio standard along with other key policy measures sought by the U.S. wind energy industry. The bill's RPS provision requires 10% of the nation’s electricity to come from new renewable energy sources by 2020. In addition, the bill includes a three-year extension of the wind energy production tax credit (PTC) and a provision establishing a Small Turbine Investment Credit (STIC) for homes and farms installing small wind generators. AWEA News Release
Wind Energy Can Relieve Natural Gas Shortage
18 June 2003 - Wind energy is already helping to reduce the current natural gas supply shortage in the US, and could be deployed rapidly over the next few years to bring it under control, according to AWEA. The current supply shortage amounts to 3-4 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day (Bcf/day), according to energy experts, and the increasing use of gas for electricity generation is one of the major causes of the shortfall. But in many areas of the country where wind farms are generating electricity, they are directly helping to conserve vital natural gas supplies. AWEA News Release
American Wind Industry Closes Largest-Ever Conference and Exhibition
21 May 2003 - The American wind energy industry today concluded its largest, and most successful, conference and exhibition in history, hosting more than 3,400 attendees at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas. Texas is the nation’s second largest wind power production market with more than 1,095 megawatts of wind supplying power for the equivalent of more than 300,000 Texas homes. AWEA News Release
Wind Farms Do Not Hurt Property Values, Study Finds
20 May 2003 - Commercial-scale wind turbines do not appear to harm "viewshed" property values, according to a study the Renewable Energy Policy Project presented on May 20 at WINDPOWER 2003, the annual Conference and Exhibition of the American Wind Energy Association in Austin, Texas. The study is the first to systematically examine the charge often voiced by wind farm opponents that wind development will lower the value of property within view of the turbines. AWEA News Release
Largest Wind Energy Conference in US to Use Wind Power Tags to Avoid Pollution Caused by Electricity Use
13 May, 2003 - Green Mountain Energy Company will donate enough Texas Wind Energy Tags to make electricity use at the American Wind Energy Association’s WINDPOWER 2003 Conference in Austin, Texas 100 percent pollution-free. Joint News Release
U.S. Wind Industry on Track to Grow More than 25% in 2003
8 May 2003 - The American Wind Energy Association reported today that the U.S. wind energy industry is on track to install 1,100 - 1,400 MW of new capacity this year, despite the power generation industry's generally poor outlook. The growth that is underway across the country is expected to boost U.S. installed wind power capacity from current levels of close to 4,700 MW to approximately 6,000 MW (enough to serve 1.5 million homes). AWEA News Release
WINDPOWER 2003 To Be Industry's Biggest Gathering in U.S.
23 April 2003 - With less than one month until the start of the U.S. wind energy industry’s largest-ever annual meeting, the American Wind Energy Association today announced the featured speakers lineup for the WINDPOWER 2003 Conference and Exhibition. WINDPOWER 2003 will take place at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas May 18-21, 2003. AWEA News Release
Iowa Utility Announces World's Largest Wind Farm
25 March, 2003 - AWEA today praised MidAmerican Energy, Iowa's largest utility, for its announcement to build a 310-megawatt (MW) wind facility in the state. The project would become the world's largest land-based wind plant, if completed before a proposed expansion of the 300-MW Stateline facility currently in operation in the Pacific Northwest. AWEA News Release
Record Growth for Global Wind Power in 2002
3 March 2003 - A record 6,868 megawatts (MW) of new wind power capacity was installed worldwide in 2002, increasing generating capacity by 28% last year, according to new figures released from the American Wind Energy Association and European Wind Energy Association. Wind power technology worth €6.8 billion ($7.3 billion) was installed globally in 2002, driving total wind power installation to over 31,000 MW, enough to power 7.5 million average American homes (16 million average European homes). AWEA/EWEA News Release
Los Angeles Mayor Announces Plans for 120-Megawatt Wind Facility
3 February 2003 - AWEA today commended Los Angeles Mayor Jim Hahn for his proposal to construct a new 120-megawatt wind energy facility in the Mojave Desert. When completed in the summer of 2004, the facility will produce clean, renewable electricity for as many as 100,000 customers of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the nation’s largest public utility. AWEA News Release
U.S. Wind Industry Turns in Another Solid Year of Growth
23 January 2003 - U.S. installed wind electric generating capacity expanded by nearly 10% during 2002, with 410 megawatts (MW) of new equipment going into service (enough to meet the annual needs of approximately 120,000 average American homes). At year's end, wind plants in 27 states across the country totaled 4,685 MW, enough to serve more than 1.3 million households. AWEA News Release
Long Island Power Issues Request for Proposals for Offshore Wind Power
22 January 2003 - AWEA welcomed the request for proposals for offshore wind power issued today by the Long Island Power Authority. The announcement came two weeks after New York Governor George Pataki called for a major statewide expansion of renewable energy, and bodes well for the future of wind power in New York and the Northeast, according to the group. AWEA News Release
Governor Pataki Announces Renewable Energy Goals for New York State
8 January 2003 - AWEA praised New York Gov. George Pataki for his commitment to a major statewide expansion of renewable energy. The trade group said the measure, a renewables portfolio standard (RPS), will ensure that more electricity is generated from wind, biomass and other domestic, non-polluting, and renewable sources. The policy was unveiled today in the Governor’s State of the State address. AWEA News Release
Wind Industry Sees Progress, Asks Regulators to Drive Ahead on Policies to Open Market to New, Clean Energy Sources
23 December 2002 - AWEA called today for faster progress on federal policies to ensure that power from new, renewable sources like wind has a fair chance to compete in the nation's electricity markets. The wind industry trade group estimates that several thousand megawatts of ‘new’ transmission capacity could be obtained in the Midwest alone without building new transmission lines by implementing a series of reforms outlined in a new white paper. AWEA News Release
Advocacy Group Launches Second Phase of Campaign Educating California Consumers About Small Wind Systems
13 September 2002 - AWEA launched the second phase of a campaign this week to educate consumers about the economic and environmental benefits of owning a small wind turbine. A mailing to 35,000 California households is a follow-up to a 65,000-piece mailing sent out this past spring to residents of Alameda, Kern, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma counties. Approximately 8,800 new potential small wind turbine owners are being contacted. AWEA News Release
Wind Industry Completes Largest-Ever Conference and Exhibition in Portland, Oregon
6 June 2002 - The American wind energy industry today wraps up its most successful meeting ever, hosting more than 2,000 attendees at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Ore., in the WINDPOWER 2002 Conference and Exhibition, the largest wind energy meeting in American history. AWEA News Release
FERC Chairman, Senators Bingaman & Reid to be Honored for Energy Leadership by Wind Industry
30 May 2002 - AWEA has selected Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Patrick Wood III and Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Harry Reid (D-NV) as recipients of the Federal and Congressional Leadership Awards for 2002. The national trade association for the wind industry will honor the three at the upcoming WINDPOWER 2002 Conference in Portland, Oregon for “providing leadership that benefits consumers, the electric industry, and the environment.” AWEA News Release
NY Public Service Commission Approves Niagara Mohawk Green Marketing Program
23 May 2002 - Approval of Niagara Mohawk's Green Marketing program will allow electric customers to buy electric power from wind, solar, and biomass generators through their electric bills. The agreement between renewable energy companies, environmental groups, and Niagara Mohawk resulted from the Commission’s recent approval of the merger of Niagara Mohawk and National Grid. Independent “green power marketers” will start offering brand-name renewable energy products to Niagara Mohawk customers beginning in August or September of 2002. AWEA News Release
Who's Who of Energy Industry to Address Energy Policy Issues at WINDPOWER 2002
22 May 2002 - The WINDPOWER 2002 Conference and Exhibition, the largest-ever American wind industry meeting June 2-5 in Portland, Oregon, will feature a series of guest speakers that represents a virtual Who's Who of energy policy and industry leadership from across the country. The conference will provide an opportunity for these national leaders to discuss the role of wind energy in the United States and the challenges facing both government and the private sector in the development of an integrated energy policy for the 21st century. AWEA News Release.
Wind Industry To Use Green Power at Largest-Ever Conference and Exhibition
17 May 2002 - The WINDPOWER 2002 Conference and Exhibition, the U.S. wind energy industry's premier business gathering, will use "green tags" donated by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to offset pollution from the conference's electricity consumption, AWEA announced today. The green tags are generated from the Stateline, Condon, and Foote Creek wind farms in Washington, Oregon, and Wyoming. They represent the production of 45,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity, the amount needed to provide power for the event. AWEA News Release.
Wind Industry Looks to Largest Ever U.S. Meeting
9 May 2002 - The WINDPOWER 2002 Conference and Exhibition, the U.S. wind energy industry's premier business gathering, will take place in Portland, Oregon, June 2-5. Organized by AWEA and co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, WINDPOWER 2002 will feature the largest exhibition of wind energy companies ever assembled in the U.S., with over 85 exhibitors from 29 states and five foreign countries and a list of guest speakers that represents a virtual Who's Who of energy policy and industry leadership from across the country. AWEA News Release
Wind Advocacy Group Launches Campaign to Educate California Consumers about Small Wind
2 May 2002 - The American Wind Energy Association and the California Energy Commission launched a campaign this week to educate consumers about the benefits of owning a small wind system and the state incentives that exist to encourage California consumers to generate their own electricity. Several California state programs have recently come into effect that make installing a home wind system cheaper and easier than ever before. AWEA News Release
U.S. Senate Makes History by Passing Renewables Portfolio Standard
25 April 2002 - The U.S. Senate passed a federal renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS) and a full five-year extension of the wind energy production tax credit (PTC) as part of the broad energy bill, S. 517. The bill would require that an additional 1% of the nation's electricity come from new renewable energy sources by 2005 and total 10% by 2020 and would create a new investment tax credit for small wind systems. The bill now goes to a joint House-Senate conference committee. The House bill, H.R. 4, has no RPS provision, but does include a five-year PTC extension. AWEA News Release
Global Windpower Conference Heralds Major Clean Energy Expansion
2 April 2002 - The wind energy market could reach 60,000 megawatts (MW) worldwide over the next five years, more than doubling its present output, the first Global Windpower conference and exhibition heard today in Paris. AWEA News Release
FERC Endorses Fair Treatment of Wind in Wholesale Electricity Markets
28 March 2002 - A ruling issued March 27 by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, makes it possible for wind plant owners to ship the electricity they generate to buyers over the transmission system without being subject to heavy non-cost-based penalties because they cannot predict, days or hours in advance, precisely how much transmission capacity they will need. Wind energy should benefit substantially. AWEA News Release
Wind Energy Heralds Defeat of Amendment to Strip RPS Provisions from Bill
21 March 2002 - The American Wind Energy Association today praised members of the U.S. Senate for rejecting a proposed amendment by Sen. John Kyl (R-AZ) to strike provisions in the energy bill, S. 517, to establish a federal renewable energy portfolio standard ("renewables portfolio standard," or RPS). The energy bill proposes a renewable energy standard of 10% by 2020, starting with a requirement of 1% new renewables by 2005 and increasing slowly each year thereafter. AWEA News Release
Wind Energy Grew Globally at Record Clip in 2001
19 March 2002 - The global wind energy industry added the largest amounts ever to wind farm installations last year, the American Wind Energy Association said in a markets report released today. Some 6,500 new megawatts (MW) of wind power generating capacity -- enough to meet the needs of 1.6 million American homes -- were installed in the course of 2001, a record amount for the industry and more than 50% higher than the previous year's record. AWEA News Release
New Corporate Players Could Power Stronger Growth in Wind Energy
13 March 2002 - As the U.S. Senate continues consideration of national energy legislation, the American wind energy industry is the focus of growing interest by major players in the energy field. The industry is receiving a boost not only from the recent two-year extension of the federal wind energy production tax credit (PTC), which was signed into law March 9, but from a series of announcements by utilities, oil companies, and other firms that they see wind energy in their future. AWEA News Release
Wind Energy Tax Credit Extended for Two Years
8 March 2002 - The wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) -- an important factor in financing new wind power installations -- will be extended for two years as part of a slimmed-down economic stimulus and unemployment insurance bill (H.R. 3090) approved by the House (3/7) and Senate (3/8). President Bush has stated that he will sign the bill into law. The PTC provides a 1.5 cent-per-kilowatt-hour tax credit (adjusted annually for inflation) for electricity generated with wind turbines. AWEA News Release
Paris Hosts Global Conference and Exhibition on Wind Power
7 March, 2002 - On April 2nd, the global wind energy sector will gather at the 2002 Global Windpower Conference and Exhibition in Paris, under the high patronage of Jacques Chirac, President of the French Republic. This first truly global wind power event, organized by the Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers’ Association, the American Wind Energy Association and the European Wind Energy Association, takes place after another record year for the global wind power industry. AWEA News Release
U.S. Wind Industry Ends Most Productive Year
15 January, 2002 - The U.S. wind energy industry installed nearly 1,700 megawatts (MW) or $1.7 billion worth of new generating equipment in 16 states, according to AWEA. The final tally of 1,694 MW was more than double the previous record year of 1999, when 732 MW was installed. Current installed capacity in the US is now 4,258 MW, and there are wind turbine installations in 26 states. AWEA News Release.
PTC Not Extended Due to Partisan Gridlock
21 December 2001 - The wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) will expire December 31 without being extended. A 2-year PTC extension had been included in the so-called “economic stimulus” bill that Congress has been debating for the past few months. Negotiations on that legislation ultimately failed due to partisan differences over other issues. Congress is expected to act on a tax credit extension bill in 2002. AWEA Wind Energy Weekly Excerpt
Wind Energy Group Praises Harkin's Farm Renewable Energy Proposals
1 November 2001 - AWEA applauded Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee Chair Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, for including a series of proposals aimed at encouraging farmers and ranchers to develop wind and biomass energy projects on their lands in his proposed 2002 Federal Farm Bill. AWEA News Release
Upstate New York to Get Green Power Under Merger
12 October 2001 - A proposed settlement filed with the New York Public Service Commission will allow electric customers of Niagara Mohawk to buy electric power from wind, solar, and biomass generators through their electric bills. The case involved the merger between Niagara Mohawk and National Grid, which will create one of the largest distribution utilities in the eastern U.S. AWEA News Release
Plan Transmission Lines, System Policies to Make Use of Wind, AWEA Urges
9 August 2001 - "Consistent, fair [transmission] grid operating rules are essential to allow wind to reach its full economic potential. So too are robust, proactive grid expansion policies," AWEA's Policy Director told a field hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on Water and Power in Bismarck, N.D., on August 7th. AWEA News Release
New Bill Would Trim Cost of Small WindTurbines for Residential Use
5 July 2001 - Legislation introduced recently by U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts (R-Okla.) would provide a 30% investment tax credit for small residential wind turbines. H.R. 2322, the Home and Farm Wind Energy Systems Act, is cosponsored by Reps. Wes Watkins (R-Okla.), Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), and Vernon Ehlers (R-Mich.). AWEA News Release
Wind Group Applauds New York Commitment to Renewable Energy
13 June 2001 - Gov. Pataki issued an Executive Order on June 11th requiring all agencies of New York State, including the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority, to purchase 10% of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2005 and 20% by 2010. AWEA said the announcement will create the first stable, long-term markets for retail sales of wind energy in New York State, as well as boost solar photovoltaics and biomass energy sources. AWEA News Release
TXU, Senator Dorgan Garner National Awards for Leading Wind Energy Boom
6 June 2001 - Dallas-based utility TXU, Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND), and eleven other industry leaders, legislators, and advocates received awards from the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) at Windpower 2001, the association's annual conference. AWEA News Release
Strong RFP Response Shows Wind's Potential in Western Power Crisis
24 May 2001 - A strong response from the U.S. wind energy industry to a request for proposals (RFP) to build new power plants in the Pacific Northwest is a signal that the clean energy technology is ready to respond quickly to the electric power crisis in the Western states. Twenty Five proposals, totaling about 2,600 MW, were submitted in response to a Bonneville Power Administration RFP seeking 1,000 megawatts of new wind power. AWEA News Release
President's Energy Plan is "Useful First Step."
17 May 2001 - The national energy program announced today by President Bush is "a useful first step" toward recognizing the value of wind and other renewable energy sources, AWEA said, noting that the plan calls for extension of the federal wind energy production tax credit (PTC) and for a review of previously-proposed cuts in federal renewable energy research and development (R&D) funding. AWEA News Release
More New Wind Generating CapacityThan Nuclear Installed in 2000
10 May 2001 - Additions to wind energy capacity worldwide totaled 3,800 megawatts (MW) in 2000, according to figures from the European Wind Energy Association and AWEA. Only 3,056 MW of new nuclear capacity was installed in 2000, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency's Public Reactor Information System. AWEA News Release
New Studies on Acid Rain and Global Warming Underscore Need for More Wind Energy, Now
2 May, 2001 - Recent disclosures published in the journals Bioscience and Science that acid rain is causing greater damage to the environment than previously thought and that human-induced greenhouse gas emissions are increasing ocean temperatures highlight the need for aggressive investments in wind power, AWEA said today. AWEA News Release
AWEA Commends Nomination of Garman toDOE Renewable Energy Position
18 April, 2001 - Garman comes to his new position as Assistant Secretary of Energy for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy from Capitol Hill, where he served as Chief of Staff to Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-Alaska), who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. AWEA News Release
Wind Energy R&D Cuts "Penny-Wise and Pound Foolish," says Wind Energy Group
9 April, 2001 - Saying that the Energy crisis calls for increased investments in both utility-scale and small wind systems, AWEA today criticized the Bush Administration for proposing deep cuts in funding for the federal wind energy research and development program and other renewable energy research efforts. AWEA News Release.
AWEA Applauds Appointment of Pat Wood to FERC
28 March, 2001 - AWEA today hailed the appointment of Pat Wood, currently Chair of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, as a Commissioner of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which oversees the nation's electric power supply and transmission system, citing Wood’s "outstanding record" in fostering renewable energy development in Texas. AWEA News Release.
Production Tax Credit Extension Bills Offered in Both Houses
22 March 2001 - Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Jim Jeffords (R-Vt.), and Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) introduced legislation (S. 530) March 14 to extend the Production Tax Credit (PTC) for five years. S. 530 joins a companion bill (H.R. 876) introduced in the House of Representatives a week earlier. AWEA News Release
Federal Power Agency Issues Largest Wind Solicitation Ever
23 February 2001 - The Bonneville Power Administration's decision to solicit proposals Feb. 21 for 1,000 megawatts of new wind energy generating capacity is a "major breakthrough" for the increasingly-competitive clean energy technology, AWEA said today, and provides a clear signal that the federal agency recognizes the potential of wind energy to provide near-term, stably-priced electricity supplies as California and the Pacific Northwest grapple with gyrating energy prices and power shortages. AWEA News Release
California Electricity Crisis Spurs Salesof Home Wind Systems
13 February 2001 - California consumer interest in home wind energy generators has increased sharply since the beginning of the year as the state's prolonged electricity crisis has made daily headlines and raised customer fears of rate shock. AWEA News Release
Global Survey Finds Wind Energy'sExplosive Expansion Continuing
9 February 2001 -The worldwide boom in wind energy slowed a bit during the year 2000, but still remained strong, with some 3,500 megawatts (MW) being installed, or enough to supply roughly 1.3 million California households with 3.5 million people. AWEA News Release
New Plants in Northwest, Nevada to be World's largest
25 January 2001 - The unveiling of plans for the world's two largest wind power plants underline wind energy's growing maturity and competitiveness and its potential to contribute to the West Coast's urgent need for new power sources. The two plants will have a total capacity of 560 megawatts and will generate enough power annually to serve more than half a million people. AWEA News Release
NY Governor, PSC Increase Support for Wind Energy
24 January 2001 - The New York Public Service Commission took action to increase funding for wind, solar and biomass energy sources and for energy conservation. The decision will provide $47.5 million over five years for development expected to result in construction of over 200 megawatts of wind turbine generating capacity in New York State, enough to meet the annual energy needs of 84,000 homes. AWEA News Release
Wind Energy Grabs Lion's Share of Awards in California Auction
4 January 2001: Wind energy's growing economic competitiveness was underlined by its overwhelming showing in a recent California auction for $40 million in state incentives to new renewable energy projects. According to results released recently by the California Energy Commission, wind projects amounted to 439.05 megawatts (MW) of the total of 471.339 MW selected, or 93% in nameplate capacity. AWEA News Release
