Manufacturers, farm and business leaders join forces to endorse key wind tax incentive

WASHINGTON, DC, November 18, 2011– A broad, nonpartisan coalition of 369 members, including manufacturing, farm and business interests, today issued a letter endorsing a four year extension to wind energy’s key federal tax incentive, the Production Tax Credit. Legislation recently introduced by Representatives Dave Reichert (R, WA-08) and Earl Blumenauer (D, OR-03) seeks to grant a four-year extension to the existing Production Tax Credit (PTC) for wind energy (H.R. 3307, the “American Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit Extension Act”

Signatories to the letter include the National Association of Manufacturers, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the Edison Electric Institute, the Western Governors’ Association, the United Steelworkers and many members of the environmental community.

“Farmers and business people know a good deal when they see one, and that is exactly what clean, affordable, homegrown wind energy provides for the American people,” said AWEA CEO Denise Bode. “With the support of a key federal tax incentive, wind energy is powering one of America’s fastest growing manufacturing sectors. Over the last six years, U.S. domestic production of wind turbine components has grown 12-fold to more than 400 facilities in 43 states, shifting manufacturing jobs from overseas back to the U.S. By extending the PTC we will be able to continue growing U.S. wind energy manufacturing jobs rather than lose them to other countries.”

Wind energy also powers rural economic development, providing farmers and ranchers with a new cash crop. Landowners can receive lease payments of up to $120,000 over 20 years for each turbine on their property, and rural counties are seeing substantial increases in property tax revenues. 

Wind-generated electricity is also keeping consumer rates down all across the U.S. Reasons include stable tax policy, innovative technology, and a sharp increase in U.S.-based manufacturing -- which is creating good jobs right here at home.

Wind is also an increasing part of the economic landscape and electric portfolio in many states across the U.S. Wind now generates 20% of the electricity in Iowa year-round, and at times has reliably supplied more than 25% of electricity on the main Texas grid and over 55% of electricity on the Public Service of Colorado power system. And wind energy is on track to provide 20% of America's electricity — and support 500,000 American jobs — less than 20 years from now.

Today’s coalition announcement also follows the recent endorsement of a four-year PTC extension from the 23 Governors in the bipartisan Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition.

As Vice Chairman of the Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad (R), said this week at Politico’s Energy and the Presidency event in Des Moines, “Obviously we see [wind energy] as another source of income and jobs for the state. I just today sent a letter with Gov. Chafee to encourage the production tax credit. We would like to see that done on a national level -- the sooner the better -- or we might see the drop off we’ve seen historically. I hope the others will see that this is good for energy independence, creating jobs and diversifying the economy.”

Today’s letter to Congressional leaders signed by the 369 members of the PTC coalition concludes:

“Now is not the time to increase taxes on wind energy. The PTC should be extended for at least another four years so that American know-how can keep producing domestic clean energy. When the PTC has expired in the past, installations have dropped between 73 and 93 percent, with corresponding job losses. An expiration at this time would jeopardize this new American manufacturing sector.

The next few years are critical to ensure that properly sited wind energy is a viable part of a balanced domestic electricity portfolio. We look forward to working with you to continue creating economic opportunities for American communities through clean, affordable, and homegrown wind energy.”

About the PTC:

The PTC is a tax incentive that helps keep electricity rates low and encourages development of proven clean energy projects. Private investment generated over the last four years of relative PTC stability averages $17 billion a year.

The wind energy PTC will expire in 2012 unless Congress takes action.  Failure to extend the PTC will lead to job losses and will put the brakes on the progress we’ve made as a nation to include clean, affordable, homegrown energy as part of the U.S. electricity portfolio.

Facing the threat of the PTC expiring, wind project developers have become hesitant to plan future U.S. projects and American manufacturers have seen a marked decrease in orders. The wind industry is facing the recurrence of the boom-bust cycle it saw in previous years when the PTC was allowed to expire. In the years following expiration, installations dropped by between 73 and 93 percent, resulting in significant job losses.

The letter is available here.

AWEA is the national trade association of America's wind industry, with more than 2,500 member companies, including global leaders in wind power and energy development, wind turbine manufacturing, component and service suppliers, and the world's largest wind power trade show, the WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition, which takes place next in Atlanta, June 2-6, 2012. AWEA is the voice of wind energy in the U.S., promoting renewable energy to power a cleaner, stronger America. Look up information on wind energy at the AWEA website. Find insight on industry issues at AWEA's blog Into the Wind. Join AWEA on Facebook. Follow AWEA on Twitter.