The United States has a number of advantages that will play out in the next few years. We have one of the best renewable wind energy corridors in the world in the area east of the Rockies from the Dakotas all the way down to Texas. At 60-80 meters, which is the height of modern-day wind turbines, the gusts of wind are powerful and consistent. However, the development of renewable wind energy is expensive, land-intensive, and risky for venture-capital firms to finance – particularly in the currently unstable economy. That is why a significant injection of capital from the federal government would go a long way in helping states to develop renewable wind energy sources best fit for their geographic location. The American southwest, for example, is best suited for solar. The Midwest, however, is best suited for renewable wind energy.
The Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) grant programs, international programs, infrastructure development activities, and other supporting activities have received considerable funding increases under a new appropriations act and budget settlement. The Weatherization Assistance Program received $200 million, while the State Energy Program received $50 million, adding to the $8 billion directed through these programs by the economic stimulus act. For facilities and infrastructure, the act provides $76 million, most of which will go to the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, including $41 million to complete construction of the Energy Systems Integration Facility. Combining that economic stimulus funding with the regular 2009 budget generates a total budget of $18.73 billion for EERE, 11 times more than the funding from 2008.
Tags: Renewable Wind Energy