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AWEA: Top wind power trends in 2010
Washington, D.C. — As renewable energy dominates economic and energy issues in the U.S., the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has identified several trends and indicators to watch in 2010.
AWEA says look for wind to continue to be a leading source of new power generation in 2010. While wind makes up only about 2 percent of total electricity supply, it is one of the largest sources of new power generation in the country, second only to natural gas generation in terms of new capacity built each year since 2005, according to AWEA.
The most important job creation policy that Congress can enact is a national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES), which provides the long-term certainty that companies need to invest in new facilities and train workers to make the 8,000 components that go into a modern wind turbine, says AWEA.
U.S. wind turbine component manufacturing lagged in 2009, says AWEA. If a RES is passed early on in the year, it will work in synergy with short-term American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) incentives and provide a long-term signal to companies, driving them to invest in new and expanded facilities in the U.S., according to AWEA.
With climate and energy legislation under discussion, the stakes are higher than ever for the energy sector, says AWEA. The wind association expects tighter limits on emissions, which will likely result in climate and energy legislation with subsidies to ensure the survival of more polluting technologies. AWEA also expects lobbying efforts and spending stepping up to record levels reached in 2009, along with anti-renewable energy communications campaigns funded by fossil fuel-backed groups.
AWEA also expects to see a shift to larger turbines. Currently, more than 1,000 wind turbines larger than 2 megawatts (MW) are already in commercial operation in the U.S, and the year-end order for 338 GE 2.5-MW wind turbines for the Shepherd’s Flat wind project in Oregon may signal the shift to larger turbines, according to AWEA. The key reason: taller turbines with larger swept areas produce more power at a lower cost per kilowatt-hour.
Source: AWEA
States and regional operators like those in Texas and the Southwest Power Pool are working through their transmission policies and are investing in new transmission lines as the federal transmission policy continues to be discussed as part of pending energy legislation, reports AWEA.
AWEA projects more wind power becoming a larger part of the electric power system as supported by several wind integration studies scheduled for release in 2010. However, AWEA also expects fossil fuel competitors to impose new and unfair costs on wind plants.
A bigger market for small wind systems is also projected due to a federal investment tax credit that has been expanded to provide an 8-year, uncapped 30 percent tax credit for small wind systems for homeowners and small businesses. AWEA also expects the introduction of an industry safety and performance standard to provide a new way to help consumers compare turbines.
There will also be more clarity on the siting process for wind projects in 2010, as the Turbine Guidelines Advisory Committee process nears completion, according to AWEA.
Also expect operational and safety guidelines as the industry becomes more mainstream, says AWEA. AWEA and the wind power industry are working with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) toward an OSHA Alliance to promote safety and health within the wind industry.
AWEA also expects its WINDPOWER 2010 Conference & Exhibition (May 23 – 26, 2010, in Dallas, Texas.) to be even larger than 2009, when it was named the fastest-growing trade show in the U.S. by Tradeshow Week. Already, as of December 2009, the number of exhibit booths sold was 25 percent ahead of a year earlier, and many companies are increasing booth sizes, reports AWEA.
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