Contact: Keith Reopelle, Senior Policy Director, 608.251.7020 ext. 11, 608.212.2935 (cell)
New Data Shows China Now Threatens U.S.’s Role as Wind Power Leader
Milwaukee, Wis – Ingeteam, a manufacturer of wind and solar components, announced today that it would create hundreds of jobs by opening a new plant in Milwaukee, just as new data shows that the U.S. faces growing competition from China in the $63 billion wind energy market.
“Ingeteam’s announcement this morning demonstrates the amazing job creation potential of the clean energy industry,” said Keith Reopelle, Senior Policy Director at Clean Wisconsin, the state’s largest environmental advocacy organization. “Unfortunately, we can expect to lose many of these jobs to China unless we pass strong clean energy policies here in the U.S.”
China led the race to generate new wind power in 2009, more than doubling its capacity by bringing 13 gigawatts of new wind power onto the grid, according to data recently released by the Global Wind Energy Council. This compares with the U.S.’s less than 10-gigawatt increase that represented a 39 percent increase from 2008. One gigawatt of wind capacity is enough electricity to power approximately 350,000 homes.
“The U.S. is currently the leader in the production, manufacturing and installation of wind energy systems, but China is quickly closing the gap,” said Reopelle. “We’re in a wind power arms race, and to remain competitive and continue creating jobs, we must pass smart policies that will nurture the continued growth of a clean energy economy.”
Such a bill is currently being debated by lawmakers in the Wisconsin State Legislature. Known as the Clean Energy Jobs Act, this bill would create thousands of jobs by ensuring that Wisconsin remains competitive in the race to develop and manufacture clean energy technologies.
“The rapidly growing clean energy industry will create hundreds of thousands of 21st century jobs, world- wide,” said Reopelle. “Smart policies like Wisconsin’s Clean Energy Jobs Act will help ensure that the U.S. remains a leader in the production of clean energy, and that thousands of clean energy jobs are created right here in Wisconsin.”
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Clean Wisconsin, an environmental advocacy organization, protects Wisconsin’s clean water and air and advocates for clean energy by being an effective voice in the state legislature and by holding elected officials and polluters accountable. Founded in 1970 as Wisconsin’s Environmental Decade, Clean Wisconsin exposes corporate polluters, makes sure existing environmental laws are enforced, and educates citizens and businesses. On behalf of its 10,000 members and its coalition partners, Clean Wisconsin protects the special places that make Wisconsin such a wonderful place to live, work and play. Phone: 608-251-7020, Fax: 608-251-1655, Email: information@cleanwisconsin.org, Website: http://www.cleanwisconsin.org.
