Wind energy bill extended in 2013

Congress has included the long-sought extension of wind energy tax credits in final passage of a bill to avert the fiscal cliff that now moves to President Obama for his expected signature.
The extension of the wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC), and Investment Tax Credits for community and offshore projects, which were set to expire December 31, 2012, will allow continued growth of the energy source that installed the most new electrical generating capacity in America last year, with factories or wind farms in all 50 states.
The deal covers all wind projects that start construction in 2013. Companies that manufacture wind turbines and install them sought that definition to allow for the 18-24 months it takes to develop a new wind farm.
Leaders of the Senate Finance Committee included that version in a tax extenders package they assembled in August, which made it into the overall fiscal cliff deal that passed the Senate early on New Year's eve and the House late the same day. The bill is expected to be swiftly signed into law by President Obama, who consistently supported the wind energy tax credits throughout the process.
Wind set a new record in 2012 by installing 44 percent of all new electrical generating capacity in America, according to the Energy Information Administration, leading the electric sector compared with 30 percent for natural gas, and lesser amounts for coal and other sources.
However, Americas wind energy workers have been living under threat of the PTCs expiration for over a year and layoffs had already begun, as companies idled factories because of a lack of orders for 2013. Uncertain federal policies have caused a boom-bust cycle in U.S. wind energy development for over a decade.
Half the American jobs in wind energy 37,000 out of 75,000 and hundreds of US factories in the supply chain would have been at stake had the PTC been allowed to expire, according to a study by Navigant Consulting.
In the closing days of this years lame duck session of Congress, Americas wind energy workers have been posting videos to tell their stories of working in the new industry. The 2,000 companies that belong to AWEA have sent delegations to Capitol Hill repeatedly, invited Members of Congress on tours of wind farms and factories, and delivered hundreds of thousands of letters from constituents.
On behalf of all the people working in wind energy manufacturing facilities, their families, and all the communities that benefit, we thank President Obama and all the Members of the House and Senate who had the foresight to extend this successful policy, so wind projects can continue to be developed in 2013 and 2014, said Denise Bode, CEO of AWEA for the past four years.
Now we can continue to provide America with more clean, affordable, homegrown energy, and keep growing a new manufacturing sector thats now making nearly 70 percent of our wind turbines in the U.S.A., said Rob Gramlich, who becomes AWEAs interim CEO on January 2 with Bodes return to private practice as a tax attorney, as previously announced.
WASHINGTON, D.C., January 1, 2013 AWEA