WINDPOWER 2009 Conference & Exhibition Is Coming To Windy City Chicago!

The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) and the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau (CCTB) are pleased to join the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) in announcing today that the WINDPOWER 2009 Conference & Exhibition, the world’s largest annual wind energy event, will be held in Chicago next year, at the McCormick Place Convention Center from May 4 – 7, 2009.

The WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition has become one of the most successful and fastest-growing industry shows in the United States. Sold exhibition space for WINDPOWER 2009 already exceeds that of WINDPOWER 2008, which was 85% larger than the previous year. WINDPOWER was recently listed in Tradeshow Week magazine’s latest installment of its prestigious 50 Fastest-Growing Shows in North America.

“We are excited to be coming back to Chicago,” said AWEA Executive Director Randall Swisher. (AWEA held WINDPOWER 2004 in Chicago.) “The ‘windy city’ offers an ideal mix of hospitality and exhibition facilities in a vibrant downtown setting. We’re excited to hold this event in a state that ranked in the top 5 for new wind project construction in 2007, and where new manufacturing jobs are being created thanks to this technology’s rapid expansion.”

WINDPOWER continues to grow at a fast pace as wind energy becomes a more important part of America’s energy picture. “Following WINDPOWER 2007 and WINDPOWER 2008, we experienced an unprecedented explosion in demand for exhibition space and hotel rooms,” Swisher said. “We are grateful to officials in Chicago’s hospitality sector, as well as the office of Mayor Richard M. Daley and Governor Rod R. Blagojevich, for their efforts to accommodate the show.”

"Illinois is firmly on the path to a sustainable energy future and is proud to host the world's largest annual wind energy event next year," said Governor Rod R. Blagojevich. "By relying more on renewable energy sources like wind, we can generate the electricity we need without polluting our air or contributing to global warming, while at the same time protecting public health, saving energy and reducing our energy costs."

“The MPEA is grateful to the Governor’s Office for its assistance in bringing WINDPOWER 2009 to McCormick Place,” said Juan A. Ochoa, Chief Executive Officer of the MPEA, owner and operator of McCormick Place. “We will work to help WINDPOWER continue to grow their exhibits and attendance.”

"Thanks to Mayor Daley's vision and leadership, Chicago is a catalyst for the green meetings industry," said Tim Roby, CCTB President and CEO. "The CCTB looks forward to working with AWEA to ensure a successful conference while in Chicago."

By 2025, Illinois is expected to see $8 billion in investment in new wind projects that will generate 4,000 megawatts (MW) of power to meet the state’s growing electricity demand and its renewable electricity standard. (The state has enacted a renewable electricity standard requiring that 25% of all power for residential and small commercial customers be provided from renewable energy resources.)

Pending legislation in Illinois would extend the renewable electricity standard to larger customers, a step that would require a doubling of that investment and power generated. In addition to environmental benefits statewide, this investment would bring significant economic benefits to manufacturing towns, windy rural communities, and Chicago financial community.

New wind projects added in 2007 account for about 35% of the entire new power-producing capacity added for the year. Similar growth is taking place this year, making the U.S. the world’s largest wind power market in terms of new installations and wind energy production.

AWEA is the national trade association of America’s wind industry, with a membership that includes global leaders in wind power development, wind turbine manufacturing, and energy, as well as a broad range of component and service suppliers. More information on wind energy is available at the
AWEA Web site: www.awea.org.

Tags: WINDPOWER 2009 Conference & Exhibition, AWEA, MPEA, CCTB, WINDPOWER 2008, wind energy

U.S. leads world in wind energy generation but expiring tax credit may slow down the growth.

U.S. now leads world in wind energy generation but delay in extending federal tax credit places 2009 project pipeline on hold, discourages manufacturing investment

U.S. wind farms now generate more electricity than any other nation in the world and are on track to expand by over 45% this year, but the expiration of the federal production tax credit (PTC) less than five months from now threatens this spectacular progress, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) said today in its second quarter market report.

“The U.S. is now the world’s largest wind energy producer, with wind development sparking job creation and economic opportunity in a troubled economy,” said AWEA Executive Director Randall Swisher. “But the current figures hide a dire reality: the pipeline of investment for 2009 has been on hold for months, with escalating risks and costs for the industry, because of the uncertainty about the production tax credit. At a time when unemployment is at a 4-year high and the economy needs every stimulus it can get, a rapid extension of the credit should be on any economic priority list for Congress.”

The U.S. is now the world leader in wind electricity generation. While Germany still has more generating capacity installed (about 23,000 megawatts), the U.S. is producing more electricity from wind because of its much stronger winds.

Total U.S. installed wind power capacity now stands at 19,549 megawatts (MW). The industry installed 1,194 MW in the second quarter, down from 1,532 MW during the first. This brings the year’s new capacity to 2,725 MW, more than was installed in any year except 2007. More is under construction for completion either by the end of this year or the beginning of next year, depending on when the PTC is extended. Uncertainty regarding the PTC is causing a rush to complete projects by the end of the year, with increased risks and costs for the industry and eventually for customers. Under the best-case scenario for the industry, Congress will move quickly in September to extend the credit and the pressure will be eased for immediate project completion while reopening the pipeline for 2009. Under that scenario, AWEA projects at least 7,500 MW of new capacity to be added in 2008.

AWEA also reports a strong increase in domestic investment in wind turbine and wind turbine component manufacturing facilities over the past year and a half. At least 41 facilities have been announced, opened, or expanded over that period of time. These facilities will create over 9,000 jobs when they are at full capacity. Uncertainty about the PTC threatens that level of investment as well.

“It’s clear that wind power is not only a major technology with which to fight climate change, but also one of the most promising and dynamic economic engines we have today,” said Swisher. “The nation needs an ambitious plan to promote the deployment of wind and other renewable energy technologies—and the urgent first step it must take is to rapidly extend the expiring renewable energy credits, which are the primary incentive that the nation provides for these technologies today.”

The report is available on the AWEA Web site at www.awea.org/publications/reports/2Q08.pdf

Tags: wind energy, AWEA, wind farms, wind turbine