EnergyPortal.eu

Despite wind installations quadrupling in the period from 2005-09 and the industry's unprecedented growth defying all the odds during the recession, 2011 is set to be a challenging year for the US wind power industry. Although it is true that major US utilities are increasing direct investments in the renewable energy sector due to more cost effective strategies, beneficial tax credits and incentives at both the state and federal level, and pressure to meet renewable portfolio standards, nevertheless, in order to retain its competitive edge, the US must continue its development of domestic manufacturing facilities.

Much progress has been made with regard to establishing and expanding factories for the most costly components to import such as towers, blades and nacelles. However, there is much work to be done to ensure that investments are made to allow existing suppliers to expand their operations and enable auto manufacturers and others to retool to provide such key elements assembling nacelles, and producing generators, gearboxes, direct drives and sub-components such as electrical mechanisms, bearings and hydraulic systems to meet the inevitable growth in demand, which will be bolstered by the potential of offshore projects being tapped into in the near future.

None of this can be achieved without the addition of key regulatory reforms, transmission grid upgrades and long-term stable policy commitments from authorities at federal and state levels without which, the USA will see itself fall behind it chief competitors of Europe and Asia.

Join us in November 2010 for what promises to the most informative meeting going into 2011 where policy-makers, utilities, operators, developers, suppliers, and component makers will convene to provide the most up-to-date announcements on policy and long-term strategies for establishing competitive domestic wind power manufacturing facilities.