(Jennifer A. Dlouhy/Fuel Fix)
As many as 37,000 jobs tied to the U.S. wind industry could be lost if Congress doesn’t renew a renewable energy tax credit before it expires next year, according to a report issued today.
The study, commissioned by the American Wind Energy Association and conducted by Navigant Consulting, says the industry’s livelihood is on the line and tied to the 2.2-cent-per-kilowatt-hour production tax credit. First created by Congress in 1992, the production tax credit has sporadically been renewed and is now set to expire on Dec. 31, 2012.
Wind energy advocates say they can’t wait that long for a reauthorization. Uncertainty about whether the tax credit will get renewed is already stifling investment by energy companies in new wind projects — and threatens the entire manufacturing supply chain, said AWEA CEO Denise Bode. (Read full story at Fuel Fix)
Related: Wind Power Propels New Degree Programs (Houston Chronicle)
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