POLITICS AND WIND ENERGY

How Congress Messes With The Wind Industry (Charts)

Zachary Shahan, August 9, 2014 (Clean Technica)

…The U.S. Congress has consistently interrupted wind industry growth. While other energy industries’ federal supports are coded into law. the wind energy production tax credit (PTC) has been enacted for 1-3 years at a time and renewal has often been postponed until year-end or longer. Though wind is supported by Republicans, Democrats, and the public, it is the controversial fossil fuel and nuclear industries that get unhesitating federal support while tens of thousands of wind energy jobs and billions in wind revenues must beg year after year while politicians pose and pander…[A chart from The American Wind Energy Association] US Wind Industry Second Quarter 2014 Market Report demonstrates this… click here for more

The ‘small change’ made to the PTC when it was renewed at the beginning of 2013 made wind projects under construction by the end of 2015 eligible for the PTC in addition to those completed. This caused new project building to spike but most will not be finished until next year. This bizarre development schedule is essentially what Congress ordered. (click to enlarge)

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