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newsroom
Three major companies that are active wind energy developers around the country today sought the assistance of Gov. Ted Strickland in passing renewable energy legislation that includes vital near-term benchmarks that would foster renewable energy development in the Buckeye State. Legislation recently proposed by Representative Jim McGregor and Ohio Speaker of the House Jon Husted, HB 487, includes such benchmarks, with goals for renewable energy development beginning with one-quarter of one percent in 2009 and ramping up to 2.5% in 2014 and 12.5% in 2024. The goals for the 2009-2014 period are considered vital by developers seeking to build projects in Ohio during that timeframe. The three developers, Horizon Wind Energy, Iberdrola Renewables, and Invenergy Wind, LLC, are three of the largest developers of wind energy projects around the U.S. Each indicates in a separate letter to Gov. Strickland that it has access to wind turbines and the ability to bring billions of dollars of new investment to Ohio if the legislature acts to create a market. Creation of a market for the wind industry in the immediate several-year period is also a key step to help bring wind-related manufacturing jobs to the state, from an industry which experts say will be one of the largest sources of new manufacturing jobs in the 21st century. In 2007, nearly 30% of all new electric generating capacity installed across America was wind generation, representing over $9 billion in new investments just last year. Wind energy trailed only natural gas as the leading source of new energy generating capacity nationwide, and placed first among all energy sources in new capital investment. Wind manufacturers also announced new facilities creating about 6,000 new jobs. In Ohio, however, no new wind energy projects were built in 2007, and no major new wind manufacturing facilities were announced. “If Governor Strickland and the Ohio Legislature act to create a market for the wind industry in the vital period of the next several years, the wind industry is ready to invest billions of dollars in Ohio,” said Hans Detweiler, Manager of State Legislation for the American Wind Energy Association. AWEA, formed in 1974, is the national trade association of the U.S. wind energy industry. The association's membership includes turbine manufacturers, wind project developers, utilities, academicians, and interested individuals. More information on wind energy is available at the AWEA web site: www.awea.org. # # # |
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