Good news, the U.S. wind-power industry grew by 52 percent in the first quarter of the year, and there are 8916 megawatts of wind plants currently under construction in 31 states.
The first quarter (Q1) of 2012 was the most productive yet for the US wind industry, installing 52% more megawatts than Q1 2011.
Developers are racing to get projects in the ground before the Production Tax Credit expires at the end of this year.
1695 megawatts (MW) of new wind capacity was installed in Q1 - 788 turbines in 17 states. The turbines were mostly manufactured in the US, says the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) in its first quarter market report. [...]
The last five years have been marked by unprecedented policy stability, and in response wind power has delivered," says Denise Bode, AWEA CEO.
Domestically-produced energy built by Americans and developed with the aid of tax-credits
Everything about this says the Republicans should be ecstatic. That is if their own rhetoric about jobs, tax cuts, and domestic energy are to be believed. But they aren't, because wind energy is the stuff of socialists and hippies like Al Gore. Did you know Al Gore is fat? Also -- wind turbines might spoil the view from Donald Trump's golf resort and Chris Christie's back yard.
Fortunately for the rest of us, the Obama Administration is taking the first meaningful steps to gain energy independence following decades of promises from previous presidents.