WIND COMMENDS THE PRESIDENT’S SPEECH

Statement by AWEA Interim CEO Rob Gramlich on President Obama’s State of the Union speech

February 12, 2013 (American Wind Energy Association)

[Rob Gramlich, Interim CEO, AWEA:] “President Obama called on Congress to strengthen the stewardship we all share for our environment…put more Americans to work in clean energy jobs and manufacturing…[and] double generation from wind, solar, and geothermal sources by 2020…[He] called on Congress to make the renewable energy Production Tax Credit permanent and refundable, as part of comprehensive corporate tax reform, providing incentives and certainty for investments in new clean energy.”

[Rob Gramlich, Interim CEO, AWEA:] "We are proud to be recognized for producing nearly half of the nation's new electric capacity last year, creating tens of thousands of jobs, and as a central climate solution…With over 60 gigawatts of wind power generating capacity now installed in America, wind energy will avoid nearly 100 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions this year, equal to 1.8% of the entire country's total carbon emissions.”

click to enlarge

[Rob Gramlich, Interim CEO, AWEA:] "Utility-scale wind power was invented here, and increasingly the parts are made-in-the-U.S.A. Domestic content in the U.S. industry is up to nearly 70 percent, from 25 percent just a few years ago. That has created 30,000 American jobs in wind manufacturing, and further brought down the cost of wind energy now that we're making most of the parts right here in the U.S.A…Policymakers all over should be recognizing the opportunity and supporting the growth of clean energy in their own states, such as through robust state Renewable Portfolio Standards.”

[Rob Gramlich, Interim CEO, AWEA:] “Private investors put $25 billion into the U.S. economy in 2012 and got the signal from the [the federal Production Tax Credit (PTC) and Investment Tax Credit (ITC)] extensions that the U.S. is still open for clean energy business. This is what successful policy looks like…America's homegrown wind energy industry is ready to work with President Obama and the U.S. Congress to advance the goals of energy independence and clean, renewable power that is available and affordable for all Americans."

Tweet