Wind Power Trends and Offshore Wind Projects in the United States

Wind Power Trends and Offshore Wind Projects in the United States Synopsis

The U.S. wind power industry is facing uncertain times. With 2011 capacity additions having risen from 2010 levels and with a further sizeable increase expected in 2012, there are, on the surface, grounds for optimism. Key factors driving growth in 2011 included continued state and federal incentives for wind energy, recent improvements in the cost and performance of wind power technology, and the need to meet an end-of-year construction start deadline in order to qualify for the Section 1603 Treasury grant program. At the same time, the currently-slated expiration of key federal tax incentives for wind energy at the end of 2012, in concert with continued low natural gas prices and modest electricity demand growth, threatens to dramatically slow new builds in 2013. This book examines wind power trends and offshore wind projects in the United States.