Wind is a clean, inexhaustible source of domestic energy that can be transformed into electricity using a wind turbine. The intensity of wind varies by region and season. Electricity produced by turbines can be transported over transmission lines from the windy regions of the West and Midwest or offshore sites to populated cities with high energy demands.

Today’s wind turbines are available in a variety of sizes, with power ratings ranging from 250 watts to three megawatts (MW). Utility scale turbines can have blades more than 40 meters long and can produce up to 1.8 MW, enough to power 1,600 homes. The cost can also vary widely, with large turbines costing up to $1.5 million, while residential or small farm-sized turbines cost as little as a few thousand dollars up to $80,000.

The United States currently leads the world in total MW wind energy production, but this renewable energy source represented only 0.77 percent of U.S. electricity supply in 2007. (Germany met over seven percent of its electricity needs with wind in 2007.) However, the use of wind energy is growing in the United States, with a three-fold increase in MW produced over the last five years. In May 2008, the Department of Energy released a report demonstrating that wind could contribute up to 20 percent of the U.S. electricity supply by 2030.

U.S. investments in wind energy can bring multiple benefits. A one MW wind turbine can displace 1,800 tons of CO2 each year that would otherwise be emitted from burning fossil fuels. Alternatively, if that turbine were displacing nuclear energy, it would reduce water use by 60 million gallons per year. In addition, the wind industry creates domestic jobs, produces tax revenue, stabilizes energy prices and helps achieve energy independence. The federal government has provided incentives such as production and investment tax credits, along with research and development funds, which are critical for wind industry growth.

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