(Source: Clean Edge News) - The U.S. wind energy industry is on track to install over 3,000 megawatts (MW) of wind power generating capacity nationwide in 2007, with Texas likely to account for about two thirds of the new
installations, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) said in
its first quarter market report. Over 100 MW have newly come online
in the U.S. so far this year, and over 1,000 more are under
construction in Texas alone, according to AWEA. One megawatt of wind
power produces enough electricity on average to serve 250 to 300 
homes.



“Clean, cost-effective, inexhaustible, and readily available, wind
power is an essential element of the solution to both climate change
and America’s increasing demand for electricity,” said AWEA
executive director Randall Swisher. “Texas recognized this business
opportunity and successfully spurred wind power development with a
Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) and other forward-looking
policies.”




“The moment has come for the U.S. government to build on the example
set by Texas and many other states, and enact a national RPS as part
of any energy legislation it considers this year,” added
Swisher.




Fifty U.S. Senators recently called for a “strong” national RPS and
it is likely that the U.S. Congress will consider RPS legislation
this summer. A Renewables Portfolio Standard uses market mechanisms
to ensure that a growing percentage of electricity is produced from
renewable sources.




“Already one of our nation’s top agricultural producers, Texas is
now reaping the benefits of being a top wind producer,” said Ned
Meister, director of Commodity and Regulatory Activities for the
Texas Farm Bureau. ” Texas’ RPS is fueling new economic and
environmental benefits for Texas farmers and ranchers.” Wind farms
revitalize the economy of rural communities by providing steady
income to farmers, ranchers, and other landowners. Each wind turbine
contributes $3,000 to $5,000 per year or more in farm income, while
95%-98% of the farm’s land remains free for crops or grazing.





As Governor of Texas, George Bush signed the state’s RPS into law in
1999. Texas is today the state with the largest amount of wind power
in operation, providing income to rural communities, new business
and jobs, as well as clean, renewable energy for its economy. A
report by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) suggests
that the 2,000 MW of new wind power anticipated this year would
avoid over 3 million tons of CO 2, annually, at a rate of about 0.48 
tons of CO 2 per MWh of wind – reducing the carbon footprint of
every man, woman and child in Texas by more than 250 pounds per
year.




Twenty-two states now have an RPS, and, given the economic success
of the policy and the urgency of addressing global warming, several
have recently moved to strengthen their requirements. In the past
few months alone, New Mexico and Colorado both increased their
renewable energy requirement to 20% by 2020, and Minnesota adopted
an RPS of 25% by 2025.




The first hundred megawatts installed this year were completed in
Oklahoma (60 MW), Maine (33 MW), Texas (10 MW), and Hawaii (21 MW).
Cumulative wind power generating capacity in the U.S. now stands at
11,699 MW. This capacity will generate an estimated 31 billion
kilowatt-hours this year, enough to serve the equivalent of nearly 3 
million average households.



Projects announced to be under construction in Texas include:

• Sweetwater, phase IV: 240.8 MW (Babcock & Brown)
  
  
• Buffalo Gap, phase II: 232.5 MW (AES)
  
  
• Lone Star: 200 MW (Horizon, RES )
  
  
• Wildorado: 160 MW (Cielo/Mission)
  
  
• Camp Springs: 130.5 MW (Invenergy)
  
  
• Sand Bluff: 90 MW (Airtricity)
  
  
• JD Wind IV: 80 MW (John Deere)