STIM STIMS SMALL WIND

Stimulus may get small wind turbines spinning
William Armsby, March 9, 2009 (CNN)

"The gale force of President Obama's $787 billion economic stimulus package could breathe new life into an emerging industry: small wind turbines.

"The bill provides a 30 percent investment tax credit to consumers who buy these turbines, which are typically used to help power homes or small businesses."

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"Even amid a recession, this tax credit…could help the small-turbine market grow by 40 to 50 percent annually, a boost that would parallel the growth of the U.S. solar photovoltaic industry after a similar 2005 initiative.

"Unlike the towering windmills sprouting en masse from the Western Plains, small wind turbines have a capacity of 100 kilowatts or less and are designed to operate on the consumer side of the power grid, often in combination with solar panels…"

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"According to the American Wind Energy Association, the United States is already the world's leading manufacturer of small-wind technologies, holding roughly two-thirds of the world's market share. Last year, American companies made 98 percent of the small wind turbines sold in the United States.

"To conservation-minded home or business owners, the turbines are an investment in clean energy and one way to ease America's dependence on foreign oil. In the right location, a 10-kilowatt turbine could supply the entire electricity needs of an average American household. The newly subsidized larger models can help power small businesses, farms and schools…"