WHAT MONTANA CAN GET FROM WIND

Wind energy among fastest, cheapest ways to cut costs, grow Montana economy

Tom Darin, January 18, 2016 (The Montana Standard)

“…All energy forms receive federal support. Over the last 100 years, American taxpayers have paid over $500 billion and counting to subsidize the fossil fuel and nuclear industries. Many of these incentives are permanent and thus make it very difficult to create a level playing field for renewable energy, which does not receive this type of generous treatment…[T]he performance-based federal tax incentive for wind power has helped make the U.S. a global leader in wind production…[and] led to a 66 percent drop in costs in just six years…Over time, these savings will increase because wind power isn’t subject to fuel price volatility…[New data from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) shows] new investments in wind power can yield over $650 million in potential savings through 2050 for Montana ratepayers…[And] wind power actually makes the utility system more reliable…Wind now supplies Iowa with nearly 30 percent of its electricity; Kansas and South Dakota rely on windpower for more than 20 percent. At one point in November wind met over 66 percent of the electricity demand on the main Colorado grid…[Finally, wind] already supports hundreds of well-paying jobs in [Montana] while paying rural landowners $2 million a year to host wind turbines on their land…and those land-lease payments could grow to over $10 million a year by 2030.” click here for more

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