Hinesburg, VT—Transmission issues and federal policy are the greatest barriers to the development of wind energy in the United States, according to a poll conducted by NRG Systems, Inc., a leading wind measurement equipment manufacturer, at the American Wind Energy Association’s WINDPOWER 2008 Conference and Exhibition held in Houston last week. More than 400 conference attendees participated in the poll.
Thirty-seven percent of respondents believe that transmission or interconnection issues pose the greatest barrier to wind development in the U.S.; thirty-four percent see U.S. policy as the next greatest barrier. Financing issues, supply chain constraints and public attitudes toward wind energy were of much less concern.
Forty-seven percent of respondents believe that the United States holds the greatest promise for future wind energy development; China was second with 37%. Nearly all of those asked (92%) expect their company sales to increase in the next year, with 36% expecting to see sales grow by 25% to 50%. These projections come on the heels of a U.S. Department of Energy report stating that wind energy can provide 20% of the nation’s electricity by 2030, which would require unprecedented growth in the industry.
Despite these company growth projections, 32% of the poll participants believe that competition for skilled labor poses the greatest barrier to company growth. The expiration of the production tax credit and supply chain constraints were also viewed as barriers to organizational growth by 28% and 23%, respectively.
“Climate change, the price of oil, and the essential role of renewable energy sources are in the news daily,” said NRG Systems CEO/President Jan Blittersdorf. “With the leaders of the wind energy industry gathering at the annual WINDPOWER conference, this seemed the perfect time to take the pulse of those closest to these issues.”
“The wind energy industry is poised to help meet the double challenge of growing electricity demand and global climate change,” said AWEA Executive Director Randall Swisher. “But if Congress continues to delay in extending the production tax credit, the momentum of the industry could be derailed.”
NRG Systems conducted the instant poll during a pre-conference seminar on June 1 and with attendees at the Women of Wind Energy luncheon on June 3. The more than 400 respondents represented diverse sectors, company sizes, and years of experience in the wind energy industry. NRG Systems hopes to administer the poll at future AWEA conferences to see if and how industry views change over time.
NOTE: High resolution photos from the industry polling process are available at: http://www.marketing-partners.info/nrg/windpower08/.
About NRG Systems, Inc.
Last year NRG Systems marked 25 years in the wind energy industry. Its wind measurement systems can be found in 125 countries, serving electric utilities, wind farm developers, research institutes, government agencies, and universities. According to CEO/President Jan Blittersdorf, NRG Systems is expanding its 46,000-square-foot-manufacturing facility to accommodate the company’s continued growth due to the increasing worldwide demand for wind energy. For more information on NRG Systems, visit www.nrgsystems.com.
About the American Wind Energy Association
The American Wind Energy Association is the trade association for the U.S. wind energy industry. AWEA works to promote wind power growth through advocacy, communication, and education. For more information, visit www.awea.org.
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