Government Invests in Wind Energy
Dan Shapley
The Department of Energy is starting a new partnership with the nation's six largest wind turbine manufacturers, in an effort to promote research, development and building of new wind farms. The ultimate goal is to provide 20% of the nation's energy from wind by 2030, a goal the DOE says is within reach.
The companies partnering with the government are GE Energy, Siemens Power Generation, Vestas Wind Systems, Clipper Turbine Works, Suzlon Energy, and Gamesa Corporation.
The goal embodies a strategy more often associated with Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, who often talk about enacting new wind energy investments to scale up the industry, creating new jobs and reducing the demand for fossil fuel energy in the process. This policy comes courtesy of the Bush Administration, though.
The partnership includes improving wind turbine technology, figuring out where to put turbines so they don't slaughter birds and bats, and developing job training programs.
Wind is the second-fastest growing source of energy, next to natural gas. In 2007, the nation's wind energy capacity grew by more than 40%.
