2014 Could Be The Year that Wind Takes the Power Industry by Storm

Posted by Jack Barry on Mon, Oct 06, 2014

wind in the power industryWind isn’t new to the power industry. We’ve been channeling the wind’s power in sailboats for 5,000 years and windmills have been providing us with energy since the 8th century. Harnessing the wind as a legitimate alternative source for mass power consumption, however, is a relatively new idea. With recent developments and a surprisingly attractive cost structure, the future is bright for wind. Here is why… 

  • The Winds of Change
    It’s easy look at the numbers and make the claim that the demand and output for wind power is stagnant – or down, even. After all, in the United States in 2013, the domestic installed wind power actually decreased. Additionally, the global market growth ebbed, with China and our neighbors to the north, leading the way. But those numbers don’t paint an accurate picture. The truth is that there is more infrastructure currently being constructed to support the wind power industry than at any other time in history, according to the American Wind Energy Association. More specifically, 12,000 MW of capacity is now in the works domestically. That includes the largest U.S. turbine order ever, which arrived in Q4 of 2013.

  • The Price is Right for the Wind Power Industry
    Let’s hone in one substantial microcosm of the U.S. wind energy surge: the state of Michigan. Michigan ranks in the upper echelon of U.S. states with wind power industry growth. A major reason for this growth, which now outputs 168 billion kilowatt hours of wind power annually – 28 times the production back in 2000 – is cost. Harnessing wind power into energy costs half of what estimates first thought. As a result of this growth, Michigan now has enough wind power infrastructure alone to provide power to 120,000 homes.

Wind power appears to be on the rise. Given its limited environmental impact and its abundance, it has long been speculated to be a favorite of the power industry to shoulder some of the load, in favor of decreased fossil fuel dependence. Now wind’s growing infrastructure and attractive price point are further fueling its argument and merit.

Could wind change the direction of global energy? Tell us what you think.

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