What The Wind Industry Has Built

Wind energy is already an American industry

Paul Vigeant, June 26, 2016 (South Coast Today)

“…[The United States] leads the world in land-based wind energy…More than 50,000 turbines stand along ridge lines, prairies and hilltops across the United States. Installed capacity recently surpassed 70 gigawatts — enough to power more than 19 million typical American homes — and is expected to double in the next five years…[Wind] installed more electric generating capacity last year than any other energy source in America…[and] is on track to supply 10 percent of the country’s electricity by 2020, 20 percent by 2030 and 35 percent by 2050…[E]nergy supplied by the wind is as cheap or cheaper per megawatt hour than natural gas. And the cost of wind has shown a steady decline — 66 percent from 2009 to 2014, while volatile natural gas prices have brought consumers painful price spikes…A typical wind turbine has more than 8,000 components, and those pieces are manufactured in 500 plants in 43 U.S. states…The U.S. Department of Labor projects that the fastest growing occupation in the next 20 years will be wind turbine technician, a job that requires training, but no college degree, and paid a median annual salary of $51,050 in May 2015…” click here for more

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