The briefing, held in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C., included presentations from three composites industry experts on wind energy: Cheryl Richards, global market development manager for wind energy at PPG Industries Inc.; Peter Emrich, vice president of technology at Molded Fiber Glass Companies; and Bob Lindyberg, assistant director for boat building and composites at University of Maine's AEWC Center.
The experts provided information on the enabling role composites play in wind energy, the development of composites technology to address the need of wind energy generation, the employment provided by composite manufacturers, the future of wind energy and the need for a consistent national policy on renewable energy.
‘Composites are the materials that will allow the wind energy market to grow. The jobs this will create throughout the supply chain will give a tremendous boost to our economy, provided we see a national renewable electricity standard – a policy that can drive the continued investment and subsequent installations and growth in the market place,’ Richards said. ‘The U.S. incubated the wind energy industry, and other regions grew it. We cannot be left behind other regions of the world that have made expanding wind energy a priority.’
This was the third briefing event organized by the Congressional Composites Caucus to educate members of Congress and their staff on the advantages of using composites for end-market applications. Reps. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., and Rick Boucher, D-Va., are co-chairs of the caucus.
SOURCE: American Composites Manufacturers Association Â
