Wind is a Winner: Falling Cost of Wind is Consumers' Best Bet

Yesterday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit is hearing oral arguments from challengers and supporters of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean Power Plan rule that seeks to limit the amount of carbon dioxide pollution that can be emitted from existing power plants by 2030.

Wind on the Wires Executive Director Beth Soholt issued the following statement: "Wind energy is consistently the cheapest option for complying with the Clean Power Plan. The cost of wind energy has dropped 66 percent in the past six years, and an Energy Information Administration study found windpower is the lowest-cost option for reducing the carbon intensity of our electric system. In fact, wind can generate up to 57 percent of the needed clean power under the EIA's most cost-effective scenario.

"In the absence of a federal energy policy, this Plan helps provide certainty across the country; certainty upon which renewable energy businesses can grow, make capital investments and create jobs.

"The message for states and utilities in the Midwest is clear: Wind is a winner. In fact, last week Xcel Energy announced a 1,500 MW Request for Proposals, which would be enough to power 750,000 homes by 2020. They're doing this to take advantage of historic low prices for this clean, renewable resource while planning for state and national energy standards. At the same time, such development projects will create jobs, economic development, new tax revenue for communities, water savings and other benefits that flow from developing wind farms.

"The Clean Power Plan merely accelerates the transition to a clean and cost effective renewable future for utility customers, which has already begun. Wind energy remains the biggest, fastest, and cheapest way states and utilities can comply with the Clean Power Plan.

"States and electric utilities can do this. Electric utilities have done a good job in the last decade of adding significant amounts of wind power to their generation portfolios, and an enormous amount of wind is still available for harvest. The Midwest with its vast amount of cost competitive renewables is uniquely suited to answer the call for more renewables."