A group of representatives from major wind industry companies have released a letter to key members of Congress urging them to strengthen the renewable electricity standard (RES) contained in the draft bill unveiled last week by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman.
The letter was signed by representatives of GE Energy, Vestas Americas, Gamesa, NRG Systems, REPower USA, Broadwind Energy, TPI Composites, PPG Industries, Clipper Windpower and the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).
‘A national RES is one of the strongest policies to promote more renewable energy, because the combination of long-term demand and an immediate market triggers investment in manufacturing facilities,’ according to the letter. ‘An RES provides specific near-, mid-, and long-market demand that other policies do not offer.’
The bill includes an RES that is less than one-half the level proposed by President Obama and Rep. Edward J. Markey's, D-Mass., original proposal. AWEA supports an RES of 25% by 2025.
The letter also warned, ‘America is on the verge of losing the wind manufacturing industry to Asia and Europe. There is significant international trade in wind turbines, and the competition to host this industry is intense. America trails its competition in passing stable renewable energy policy commitments. Thirty-seven other countries have firm commitments.’
SOURCE: American Wind Energy Association
