Mane Energy Issue 10 - July 2018 | Page 3

JULY 2018 | MANE ENERGY | 3

LAND OF THE

FREE-NEWABLE?

COULD USA BE THE WORLD'S NEXT BIG SUPPLIER OF WIND ENERGY?

Producing wind energy should be a breeze. It is one of the largest renewable energy sources in the world with wind turbines going up all over the world. This isn’t to say that America doesn’t have any, because they do. They in fact have around 52,000 large scale turbines in 41 of their 50 states.

Considering, President Donald Trump was not a fan of the renewable energy, famously favoring oil and coal for energy sources and disbelieving about global warming – the wind farm market is increasing.

Rhode Island in 2016 became home to the America’s first off shore wind farm. There are many more expected to follow in other coastal US states, but the increase has seen certain American rights groups up in arms over various issues.

Turbines kill approximately 140,000-328,000 birds each year. However, turbines aside – it’s said that 1 billion birds are killed by domestic house cats and another 1 billion see death as a result of flying into buildings. These numbers dwarf the turbines inadvertent effect, lessening the argument against the wind energy source.

Individual states are bow looking to make strides in the renewable energy market in efforts to make their homes greener. The Governor for the state of Kansas stated in 2011 how he wanted Kansas to be known as the Renewable State, shaking off their reputation as the Wheat State and Sunflower State.

Fast forward 6 years and in 2017, they announced that 50% of their energy comes from renewable sources – some of the highest percentages in America.

California – a busier state than Kansas have larger steps to take in order to reduce their carbon footprint. In 2016, a bill was signed for California to source at least 50% of their energy from renewable sources including solar, biomass and of course wind. This would then increase to 100% by 2045.

The wind turbine industry is rapidly on growing, with

an estimated 100,000 people working in the industry in USA. There are plans to build new wind energy farms off shore near places such as North Carolina and New Jersey. One of the larger projects is for a $4.5 billion farm for 800 giant turbines to open around the Oklahoma panhandle. It would generate 2,000 megawatts of electricity by 2020.

With such expansion, most likely to be a surprise to many given the current Trump administrations aggressive promotion of developing fossil fuels – the movement to support off shore wind energy seems to have caught some people by surprise.

Nonetheless, with aspirations to produce electricity at a cost equal or less than coal or natural gas – it is an exciting time to be in the wind farm industry in America – provided America doesn’t blow it.