Wind's benefits

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A letter to the editor from Simon Mahan of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy argues that wind power is a cost-competitive, mainstream electricity source that could benefit Alabama consumers and the state economy. The letter counters a previous column's claims about wind development, citing wind's role in reducing air pollution and noting that a proposed Etowah County wind project could generate significant property tax revenue for the county.

Clean, affordable and homegrown, wind power already has delivered across the country. Now it's time to bring those benefits to Alabama.
Simon Mahan

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LETTER: Wind's benefits

Published: Monday, August 19, 2013 at 5:38 p.m.

A recent column ("Two states, two counties, two outcomes," Aug. 9) misstated the
facts on wind power development.

Wind power already is a mainstream electricity source, generating more than 10
percent of the electricity in nine states, and more than 20 percent in Iowa and South
Dakota.

That's good news for consumers, as newly built wind projects are now
cost-competitive with all forms of electricity production. And by displacing the most
expensive, least efficient source on the utility grid — usually old fossil fuel plants —
adding wind power provides health benefits by reducing air pollution.

Meanwhile, Alabama residents pay the highest average electric bills in the lower 48
states. That could change, however. A proposed wind project in Etowah County is
estimated to add at least $700,000 a year in new annual property tax revenue for the
surrounding county, according to Jacksonville State University.

The American wind industry has grown rapidly in recent years because of private
investment paired with smart tax policy. While incentives for traditional forms of
energy production have been fixtures in the tax code for up to 100 years, the wind
industry's primary incentive has always been a short-term policy mechanism,
extended in 1- to 3-year increments.

Despite that uncertainty, over 550 factories have been built in 44 states to supply
components to the wind industry — including nine facilities in Alabama.

Clean, affordable and homegrown, wind power already has delivered across the
country. Now it's time to bring those benefits to Alabama.

Simon Mahan

Southern Alliance

for Clean Energy