Small Wind Picks Up Even as Economy Turns Down

[jpak]

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2010/06/small-wind-picks-up-even-as-economy-turns-down

he number of Americans generating their own electricity with small-scale wind turbines (those with rated capacities of 100 kilowatts and under) increased by just under 10,000 last year despite an economic downturn that impacted the heart of the small wind market: homeowners and small-business owners. In fact, 95% of all small wind turbines sold in the U.S. last year were made by U.S. manufacturers.

Last year the U.S. small wind market grew 15% with 20.3 megawatts (MW) of new installed capacity, pushing the industry past the milestone of 100 MW in total capacity. Remarkably, half of these sales came within the last three years for an industry that has been around for more than 80. More remarkable still, for much of these three years the world’s economy crippled the finances of much of the industry’s primary consumers. How did this growth happen?

Credit a cocktail of new and improved federal and state policies, optimistic equity investors, and determined consumers.

Sound Investments

The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (also known as the economic stimulus bill) expanded the federal investment tax credit for small wind turbines, allowing consumers to take fully 30% of the total cost of a small wind system as a tax credit. These few short lines of text breathed new life into a U.S.-born industry, and just in time to help stave off the effects of the flagging economy.

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I see new small wind turbines popping up all over Maine - mostly Skystream 3.7s - and lots of new solar hot water systems and PV systems as well.

We can thank Democrats for creating homeowner tax credits for domestic turbines...

...and reinstating and expanding homeowner tax credits for solar too.

:thumbsup: