T. Boone Pickens’ Decision to Build a Wind Farm Shows Why the Wind Production Tax Credit (PTC) Should NOT be Extended
Right now, wind industry lobbyists are pushing the U.S. Congress to extend the highly lucrative wind Production Tax Credit (PTC), an action that could shift another $3 billion[1] in tax burden from wind farm owners [...]

U.S. Wind Statistics: (Updated May 19, 2009)

In 2008, wind represented 0.5% of all energy consumed in the US.[1]

In 2008, wind represented 1.3% of all electricity generated in the US.[2]

In 2008, wind generating capacity in the U.S. totaled 25,170 megawatts and generated 52.0 million megawatt hours.[3] Wind turbines generated only a percentage of their theoretical maximum [...]

by Andrew Chamberlain
Fiscal Economics, Inc.
Commissioned by the Institute for Energy Research (IER)
September 2008

PDF (248KB)
Abstract
The recently released “Gang of Ten” energy proposal includes revenue offsets that would exclude domestic oil and gas companies from the Section 199 deduction for domestic production activity. Using a simple input-output model, we estimate the state-by-state impact of this proposal on [...]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 31, 2008
CONTACT:
Brian Kennedy (202) 434-8200

Earnings Week Intensifies Silly Season on Capitol Hill
Does podium pounding lower prices for consumers?
Washington, DC – Record oil prices have led to record-high earnings for oil companies, which in turn leads Washington politicians to podiums and news cameras to declare their ‘outrage’ and call for additional taxes.  Thomas [...]

by Mary Hutzler

American taxpayers footed a $16.6 billion bill for energy subsidies, tax breaks, loan guarantees, and the like in 2007 alone, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). That’s more than double the Federal subsidy level from eight years earlier. 
In fact, on an energy fuel basis, Congress has increased subsidies for [...]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2008
CONTACT:
Brian Kennedy (202) 434-8200
Washington, DC – The Institute for Energy Research (IER) today released an analysis of the “Pickens Plan” to reduce America’s dependence on foreign sources of oil by erecting massive wind farms and redirecting natural gas to the transportation market. Rob Bradley, founder and CEO of IER, issued the [...]

The “Pickens Plan” to reduce America’s dependence on foreign sources of oil by erecting massive wind farms and redirecting natural gas to the transportation market is fatally flawed.  IER has identified the following pitfalls:
Wind power is intermittent
Wind power is intermittent—electricity is generated only if and when the wind blows, and blows hard enough to spin [...]

IER takes a closer look at the “68 million acres” legend
 
Washington, DC – In the last few weeks the phrase “68 million acres” has become nearly ubiquitous in the national “debate” over energy policy. From its birthplace on the second page of Congressional “report” to the front page of major world newspapers, the “68 million [...]

Dominion Energy has plans for a 300MW Prairie Fork wind farm in central Illinois. The farm will feature 150-200 turbines across 25,000 acres in the Illinois counties of Christian and Montgomery 25 miles southeast of Springfield.
The project will raise Dominion’s renewable power generation capacity to nearly 3200MW in the Midwest. The project will begin in [...]