After Gutenberg

Until recently, 20% of all electric power produced in the year 2030 to come from wind energy seemed a very optimistic forecast by what has been characterized as “the most comprehensive and credible report on wind power in the last decade.” Now we have news that the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that will authorize a comprehensive program to improve the efficiency, reliability and cost-effectiveness of U.S. wind energy systems.

This is a statement by Congress critters not known for taking the side of life on the planet as we know it.

According to the Green Diary, there have been installations of 2,800 MW in the first quarter of the year by the US wind power industry; these new installations increase total capacity to 28206MW. Not only is such clean, renewable energy sufficient to provide electricity to over 8-million homes across US, but by replacing dirty electric power, it also will result in a decline of 52 million tonnes of CO2 released into the atmosphere annually.

The Wind Energy Research and Development Act of 2009, H.R.3165, was sponsored by Rep. Paul Tonko, D, N.Y.

The bill requires the Secretary of Energy to carry out a program of research and development to improve the energy efficiency, reliability and capacity of wind turbines; optimize the design and adaptability of wind energy systems; and reduce the cost of construction, generation and maintenance of wind energy systems, according to the press release.

The bill would also create a demonstration program to measure wind energy performance including a full range of wind conditions across the country, and requires that the demonstration programs be conducted in collaboration with private industry.

The bill authorizes $200 million per year from 2010 through 2014 for these programs.

Hopefully, some of the allocation will go toward the harnessing of off-shore wind energy in regions of the country that have resisted development of renewable energy sources.