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U.S. Coal Plants Beat Wind Energy in Third Quarter, Group Says
2010-10-29 19:13:05.269 GMT
By Christopher Martin
Oct. 29 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. power-plant developers added
395 megawatts of wind power in the third quarter, the slowest
growth since 2007, reversing a trend of clean energy outpacing
coal, according to the American Wind Energy Association.
Wind turbines have accounted for 14 percent of new power
generation this year and coal 39 percent, the Washington-based
lobbying group said today in a statement. Last year, wind made
up 39 percent of new generation, almost matching the growth of
natural gas, and coal took 13 percent.
Legislation to require utilities to buy more renewable
energy such as wind and solar failed in the Senate this year,
removing an incentive that manufacturers such as General
Electric Co. and Vestas Wind Systems AS, the world's biggest
suppliers, had expected to boost demand.
"U.S. wind energy can again lead the world," Denise Bode,
chief executive officer of the group, said in the statement.
"But if federal policy makers do not act quickly to provide
investment certainty through a renewable electricity standard
and longer-term tax policy, the U.S. wind industry will stall."
--Editors: Richard Stubbe, Dan Stets.
To contact the reporter on this story:
Christopher Martin in New York at +1-212-617-5198 or
cmartin11@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Reed Landberg at +44-20-7330-7862 or landberg@bloomberg.net.
