US Wind Industry Highlights 66% Drop In Costs Of Wind Generated Electricity
June 16th, 2016 by Joshua S Hill
The US wind industry has celebrated the 10th annual Global Wind Day this week by highlighting the 66% drop in the costs of wind-generated electricity.
According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), over the past six years the cost of wind-generated electricity in the US has dropped by 66%.
“From the corn fields of Iowa to the windswept plains of Texas, by improving our technology and lowering wind power’s costs, we’re saving you money,” said Tom Kiernan, CEO of the AWEA. “With costs 66 percent cheaper than they were six years ago, wind power is on sale in the US. It’s a credit to American ingenuity and manufacturing. We’re celebrating Global Wind Day by sharing this good news far and wide.”
The AWEA also highlighted the important role the US wind industry is having on the country’s employment figures.
“Wind turbine technician is the fastest growing profession in the US, and has helped raise the US industry’s job total to 88,000 well-paying positions,” said John Kostyack, Executive Director of the Wind Energy Foundation. “This record-level job growth coincides with the US wind energy industry installing more new generating electric generating [sic] than any other source last year.”
This news was accompanied by the Global Wind Energy Council’s (GWEC) own celebration of Global Wind Day earlier this week, announcing that the number of jobs in the wind industry across the globe has now passed 1 million.
“We are getting bigger, better, and cheaper,” said Steve Sawyer, GWEC Secretary General. “The wind industry has witnessed record growth in recent years which not only helps the world to meet the climate goals agreed in Paris but also generates much needed new jobs and boosts local economies, to the tune of about US$ 110 billion last year.”
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