According to the U.S. Wind Industry Annual Market Report, year ending 2015, released recently by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), strong job growth coincided with wind ranking as America’s number one source of new generating capacity, outpacing solar and natural gas.
The AWEA report was released at a Vestas wind turbine component factory near Denver, Colorado. Vestas Americas Wind Systems’ Brighton manufacturing plant assembles turbine nacelles, which house the gearbox and electrical generator at the top of a wind turbine. The company employs nearly 3,700 Colorado workers, and the state is home to two of the nation’s top wind tech training programs.
“In 2015, Colorado ranked fifth in the nation for wind power capacity additions” said Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, speaking at the release event. “An investment in the wind power industry and in wind projects generates new jobs, economic development in rural counties and clean air benefits to all Coloradans.”
Tom Kiernan, CEO of AWEA, added that wind power benefits more American families than ever before, helping young people in rural locations find a job close to home. Others are getting a fresh chance to rebuild their careers by landing a job in the booming clean energy sector. With long-term, stable policy in place, and a broader range of customers now buying low-cost wind generated electricity, the workforce can grow to 380,000 paying jobs by 2030.
Late last year, Congress passed a long-term extension of the wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) and alternative Investment Tax Credit, with bipartisan support. With the extension in place and the recent industry growth, wind energy is on track to meet the Department of Energy’s Wind Vision scenario of supplying 20 percent of US electricity by 2030.
Job growth during 2015 can primarily be attributed to more wind project development and construction, requiring more than 38,000 employees. The industry also experienced a stabilisation of its manufacturing sector, which now supports over 21,000 well-paying jobs across 43 states, up over 10 percent in a year. More than 8,800 jobs are held by wind turbine technicians, the fastest growing profession in the US, according to the Bureau of Labour Statistics (growing more than twice as fast as the next fastest-growing job of occupational therapy assistant).
Texas leads the nation with over 24,000 wind energy employees. Wind project construction propelled Oklahoma to second place with more than 7,000 jobs. Rounding out the top five are Iowa and Colorado with over 6,000 jobs, and after moving up 11 spots, Kansas ranks fifth with over 5,000 wind workers. Maine gained the most in the state wind employment rankings, rising 16 spots.
Overall, 70 percent of wind farms are located in low-income counties, supplying them with an economic boost. Wind developers pay a growing total of $222 million a year in land lease payments to US farmers, ranchers and other rural landowners.
The wind rush grew stronger in 2015, as the American industry installed 8,598 megawatts (MW) of electric generating capacity across 20 states. That’s the third most ever in a year, and a 77 percent increase over 2014. Wind’s first-place finish in new power plant installations represented 41 percent of all new capacity to come online in 2015, ahead of solar (28.5 percent) and natural gas (28.1 percent).
According to Chris Brown, President of Vestas Americas and incoming AWEA Board Chair, innovative turbine technology has cut the cost of wind energy by two-thirds in just six years. Job growth and cost-cutting is showing state policymakers and utilities how zero-emissions wind turbines are the economical and environmental solution for cutting carbon pollution cost-effectively.
David Eves, President of the Public Service Company of Colorado was also present at the event. The company is a major buyer of wind generated electricity. Also in attendance was Jaime Steve, Vice President of Government Relations for Colorado-based RES, Auston Van Slyke, Program Director at Colorado-based EcoTech institute, and Tom Darin, AWEA’s Senior Director of Western State Policy.
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