Wind energy continued to grow in 2008; 2009 outlook negative
by January 28, 2009 8:42 am 56 views
The U.S. wind energy industry shattered all previous records in 2008 by installing 8,358 megawatts (MW) of new generating capacity, or enough to power more than 2 million homes.
Wind power generating capacity in the U.S. grew by 50% and channeled an investment of some $17 billion into the economy, positioning wind power as one of the leading sources of new power generation in the country today along with natural gas, according to the AWEA report.
However, the American Wind Energy Association report also warned of a cloudy outlook 2009 due to the continuing financial crisis.
Wind power generating capacity in the U.S. grew by 50% and channeled an investment of some $17 billion into the economy, positioning wind power as one of the leading sources of new power generation in the country today along with natural gas, according to the AWEA report.
“Our numbers are both exciting and sobering,” said AWEA CEO Denise Bode. “The U.S. wind energy industry’s performance in 2008 confirms that wind is an economic and job creation dynamo … At the same time, it is clear that the economic and financial downturn have begun to take a serious toll on new wind development. We are already seeing layoffs in the area where wind’s promise is greatest for our economy: the wind power manufacturing sector.”
In the past two years, four windmill-production companies have located in Arkansas with more than 2,150 direct jobs expected from the new operations. Those operations are:
• Denmark-based LM Glasfiber opened in 2008 its windmill plant at the Port of Little Rock. The company expects to invest $150 million in Little Rock and announced a target employment of at least 630. LM Glasfiber recently announced layoffs resulting from the factors mentioned by Bode.
• Nordex USA Inc. announced in October it will build a $100 million wind turbine plant in Jonesboro. The operation is expected to employ 700 people in Jonesboro.
• Polymarin Composites USA and Wind Water Technology jointly announced a $20 million investment in a shared location in Little Rock. Both companies make windmill blades and turbines and are expected to hire about 830.
• Also, there is another wind energy project in the works. The City Wire has learned that a western Arkansas location is under consideration for a windmill component manufacturing plant that could employ between 200-400.
Other details of the AWEA report include:
• The new wind projects completed in 2008 account for about 42% of the entire new power-producing capacity added nationally last year.
• In all, wind energy generating capacity in the U.S. now stands at 25,170 MW, producing enough electricity to power the equivalent of close to 7 million households.
• Iowa, with 2,790 MW installed, surpassed California (2,517MW) in wind power generating capacity. The top five states in terms of capacity installed are now: Texas, 7116 MW; Iowa, 2790 MW; California, 2517 MW; Minnesota, 1752 MW; Washington, 1375 MW
• About 85,000 people are employed in the wind industry today, up from 50,000 a year ago.
• Wind turbine and turbine component manufacturers announced, added or expanded 70 new facilities in the past two years, including more than 55 in 2008 alone. Those new manufacturing facilities created 13,000 new direct jobs in 2008.