by Daniel J. Gansle

Created on: June 09, 2008

Admittedly, this is a very broad question. How is renewable energy used...around the U.S.? Around the world? To produce electricity in underdeveloped nations? In "green" home construction? While we could discuss numerous subjects along these lines, I'd like to talk about how one clean renewable source of energy is being used to improve our energy independence, people's lives, and our fight against global warming all at the same time.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) program, the Wind Powering America (WPA) initiative was launched in 2000 as "a commitment to dramatically increase the use of wind energy in the United States. This initiative will establish new sources of income for American farmers, Native Americans, and other rural landowners, and meet the growing demand for clean sources of electricity."(1) The initiative's four main goals include regional economic development, local environmental protection, increase in energy production and national security, and using wind power as an essential element of America's energy mix.

Since its inception, WPA has seen wind energy capacity increase fivefold from 2,500 megawatts (MW) to greater than 16,000 MW by 2007. 17 states now have more than 100 MW installed. In fact, the Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center just outside the West Texas town of Abilene is the world's largest wind farm and boasts a whopping 735.5 MW capacity. This enormous enterprise covers approximately 47,000 acres and is comprised of 130 Siemens 2.3 MW and 291 General Electric 1.5 MW wind turbines.

Wind Powering America focuses on six key areas to increase the production of wind energy:

Rural Economic Development
Focuses on bolstering local economies in agricultural areas including job creation and economic stimulus through wind energy.

Wind Power for Schools
Educates and promotes wind energy to schools and universities.

Wind power for Native Americans
Promotes wind energy production on Native American reservations leading to increased revenue and energy independence.

State- and Regional-Based Activities
Educates groups on issues surrounding implementation of wind power. Three Regional Wind Energy Institutes (RWEIs) have been formed to further educate stakeholders: Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, and Southwest.

Public Power Partnerships
Partners with utilities and utility associations to promote the use of wind energy.

Distributed Wind
Educates and promotes small wind power systems for homeowners, rural landowners, and small businesses who desire to produce their own electricity.

Pursuant to President George W. Bush's 2006 Advanced Energy Initiative, windy areas of the country could potentially supply up to 20 percent of the nation's electricity. This is precisely why, with its 17-mile per hour constant winds, West Texas is currently experiencing a new oil boom of sorts, only this time the energy is clean, abundant, and renewable. It is also why on June 2, 2008, the Department of Energy signed a Memorandum of Understanding with major wind power turbine manufacturers to create a roadmap to 20 percent electrical generation from clean wind energy by 2030.

The future of wind energy is boundless. Not only is wind power clean and renewable, but its impact on the environment is minimal with no carbon dioxide emissions. It is used to power not simply homes and businesses, but also to empower lives for the better while preserving our environment for future generations.

SOURCE NOTES:
1. http://www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/windpowering america

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