The wind blows unimpeded across the plains of South Dakota, much as it does in Central and Eastern Washington, where wind power facilities have sprung up to harvest renewable energy. But few expect wind power to provide the bulk of the nation's electricity any time soon. So it was surprising to read this in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.
The federal government needs to take responsibility for building transmission lines to encourage the development of wind power in South Dakota, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama said during an interview Friday with the Argus Leader.
Obama says wind power could provide up to half the nation's electricity needs, but federal tax incentives must be extended to keep that development in the United States.
Half the nation's electricity needs? Not according to the U.S. Energy Department, as reported in the Austin American-Stateman.
Wind energy provides only a tiny fraction of the nation's electricity today, but with technology advancements, the country could get 20 percent of its power from wind by 2030, the Energy Department reported Monday.
The report comes on the heels of a record-breaking year for the wind energy business — led by producers in Texas — and as the U.S. House prepares to consider extending tax credits for wind and other renewable energy companies.
Energy Department officials and industry representatives acknowledged that wind power has a long way to go before it becomes a major electricity source. Today, only about 1 percent of the nation's energy comes from wind power.
Oh well. It's better than this.
