Wind energy: headed for a slowdown?

The 5,116 megawatts of wind power installed in the U.S. in 2010 was just half the amount put in during the record year before, but the industry still grew 15%, according to an annual report from the American Wind Energy Assn.

To some, the trade group’s data illustrate a young industry’s resiliency amid hostile economics and inconsistent government regulations and incentives. But to others, it’s a worrisome harbinger that wind, which has boomed at an average of 35% each year for the last five, might be headed for a slowdown.

The 35,600 wind turbines in the ground nationwide can now produce 40,181 megawatts – enough to supply electricity to 10 million homes, according to the report. That’s 2.3% of all the electricity generated around the country, compared to roughly 2% from solar, geothermal and biomass sources.

More than a quarter of all the new electric generating capacity in the U.S. came from more than 100 wind projects, behind only natural gas. More than 5,600 megawatts' worth was under construction at the beginning of 2011 -– more than twice the amount at the outset of 2010. 

But the economy was still growing slowly last year, pushing down electricity prices and with them the demand for new energy generation. And although employment in permanent operations and maintenance grew, positions in wind construction and services slipped, with the industry logging 75,000 total direct and indirect jobs in 2010 compared to 85,000 the year before.

Though the extension of the federal 1603 investment tax credit at the end of the year bodes well for 2011, wind companies are already fretting about what will happen when the incentive expires again in December.

Texas, the leader among the 38 states that now have utility-size wind turbine installations, had 10,085 megawatts installed by the end of the year. The Lone Star state put in 680 megawatts, followed by Illinois with 498. One-time national leader California built up 455 megawatts for a total of 3,177 megawatts.

Though California legislators last month passed the country’s most aggressive renewable portfolio standard – requiring 33% of electricity to come from clean sources by 2020 – wind power currently produces less than 5% of the state’s energy. In Iowa, it makes up 15%.

But while hotbeds such as Texas and the Midwest are watching the pipeline of future wind projects shrink, installations under construction in California exceed projects from both 2009 and 2010.

Worldwide, 35,800 megawatts of capacity were installed in 2010 for a total of 194,490 megawatts. The U.S. lost its spot as the top installer to China, which now has 42,000 megawatts of capcity in place after putting in 16,500 megawatts – more than three times the U.S. and European countries' built-up 9,300 megawatts in 2010.

Spanish company Iberdrola Renewables and NextEra Energy Resources were among the major wind owners in 2010. Another top player, Xcel Energy Inc., said Thursday that it abandoned plans to build its $400-million, 150-megawatt Merricourt Wind Project in North Dakota after concerns that it could harm endangered or threatened birds.

On Thursday, President Obama was again pushing his clean energy agenda, this time at Spanish firm Gamesa’s wind turbine plant in Pennsylvania. He has proposed that the U.S. pull 80% of its electricity from clean sources by 2035.

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California Assembly OKs increased renewable energy requirement

-- Tiffany Hsu

Photo: Wind turbines at Rocky Mountain Power's Dunlap project dot the landscape near Medicine Bow, Wyo. Credit: Tim Kuspick / Star-Tribune

Comments

[Clara B. Jones]

I live in Asheville, NC, and it would be difficult to identify a city more aware of environmental and other progressive concerns. The "green" housing market is alive and well, alternative energy sources are in common use, hybrid cars of all makes can be found in a large proportion of driveways, vegan and related alternative food preferences are available in virtually all restaurants, natural food markets service all neighborhoods, most pregnant women birth by midwife, all lifestyles find acceptance, etc. A common complaint voiced in the local media, however, is that most "green" options, including wind sources, are out of reach for middle- and low-income individuals and families. This problem requires attention by environmentalists, politicians, economists, social agencies, and the media alike.

[John Dingler, artist]

If an earthquake topples a wind turbine, it raises only some dust and curious looks. No one gets hurt. A local article are written not leading to any quantifiable profits.

When a nuke oven is breeched, generations get cancer, ground is poisoned, and unseen contamination is ingested. Newspapers cover it 24/7 world-wide leading to profits.

[Dan]

Tiffany, as you may know, the 1603 tax credit program affects wind specifically in that projects must have actually started construction by the end of 2011, as opposed to other renewable projects such as solar, which may also put down an assurance deposit in lieu of actual construction and still receive the credit. The chances that the program will be extended are slim, so the very near term consequences are what really has the wind community nervous.

[meme]

For all you NIMBYs screaming we dont need the grid, and Big Green is at fault, just a reminder, less than 30% of residents in the state's largest county actually own the roof you want them to plop a solar panel on. Yeah, I'd be up for some innovative solutions, if it didn't mean a couple decades more of delay while we fight Big Real Estate (that's a real Big, not a fake one). And the sun still does not shine at night, nor do we have effective storage.

[michael g]

Not to worry America: We've got the best wind-bag in the entire world occupying the White House right now...

[John Dingler, artist]

The answer is a resounding "YES;" Obama is putting money into nukes and more oil. No wonder. It should be the opposite. Put money into wind, solar, geothermal, and ocean waves. Let 's do it now.

They should grow up and do this one right thing in order to move from poisons and put more people to work in jobs that will improve the world.

[Paul Taylor]

Not even all of the green hot air from green-obsessed bureaucrats and militant eco-groups can power more global demand for windmills. Even booming China, where most wind turbines are made, has an over supply for the sputtering demand. Add to that the expiration of Obama's subsidies, and you'd better "short" windmills for the forseeable future. How's that fantasy "new green economy" working out.
All new green ideas and products cost more... deal with it!
ECOPOLITICS

[Ron Strong]

Has anyone ever seen honest statistics from wind power enthusiasts? They love to report the installed capacity (US 40,181 megawatts) but hate to report the actual production.

Real production would be at that level only if the wind speed at every wind turbine was at the precise optimum for that turbine. While this may be a news to progressives and environmentalists, wind speeds are not constant.

The power available from wind varies with the cube of the wind speed. Cut the wind speed in half from a turbine's optimum and the power drops to 1/8 of the turbine's optimum. Move the wind speed up from the turbine's optimum and it must shut down to avoid damage.

As a result, actual output from wind turbines is only 20-40% of the "rated" output. Add to that the fact that there is no guarantee that the wind will be blowing when power is needed and wind is clearly nothing but a niche source of electricity.

[John Dingler, artist]

The answer is a resounding "YES;" Obama is putting money into nukes and more oil. No wonder. It should be the opposite. Put money into wind, solar, geothermal, and ocean waves. Let 's do it now.

They should grow up and do this right thing.

[Blueeyedgal]

Nearly 3 million homes in the UK already powered by existing wind farms... I don't think they think it's a boondoggle, do you?

http://www.bwea.com/ukwed/

[Blueeyedgal]

Qualify that: is wind power losing out in the U.S.? Maybe.

Meanwhile, Europe is tootling along nicely with their switch to solar and wind. Germany's no longer having to subsidize solar, as we do oil -- the industry is turning a nice profit and doesn't need the subsidy anymore.

Wind farms off the coast of UK are also doing quite nicely.

I don't understand why the U.S. is lagging on this.

[EmenyOfTheState]

The true cost of Britain's clean, green wind power experiment

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1350811/In-China-true-cost-Britains-clean-green-wind-power-experiment-Pollution-disastrous-scale.html#ixzz1Gi3J3RZa

[save the deserts!]

Big Wind is just a boondoggle. Instead of talking about rated capacity, why not talk about the capacity factor - the ACTUAL amount of power these giant concrete and steel (2 highest GHG emitting materials) produce? In the Palm Springs area, it's in the 16- 19% range. That is no better than rooftop solar, and the power is (a) almost always produced at a time when we don't need power (cold, night) and (b) subject to additional line losses of ~10%, making them LESS productive than rooftop solar, which reliably produces power when the need is greatest, where the need is greatest, our built environment.

Americans need to stop being lazy and deferring to Big Energy then grousing about it. Take responsibility for yourself, call one of the solar consolidators like Open Neighborhoods or 1 Block off the grid, and then call your legislators to demand REINSTATEMENT OF PACE LOANS AND IMPROVED FEED IN TARIFFS so that we can own our energy futures ourselves!

[FutureUser]

Read "The Wind Farm Scam" by John Etherington. It's everything you need to know about why the MegaWatts of Capacity are fraudulent. They only reach that capacity when the wind is blowing at the maximum safe speed. Any higher speed, you have to release some energy or else cut the thing off. Any slower speed, and you're getting less than the rated capacity.

By the way, CO2 is Clean and Green. Plants do best with 1350 ppm CO2 in the atmosphere. Let's get it up there, folks!