Creating Jobs by Harnessing the Wind...

"Last year, with the help of Recovery Act investments, we increased wind power capacity by nearly 40 percent. According to the American Wind Energy Institute, in 2009, the U.S. wind industry announced, expanded or brought online 38 new manufacturing facilities." Steven Chu

From the New York Times:

Despite a crippling recession and tight credit markets, the American wind power industry grew at a blistering pace in 2009, adding 39 percent more capacity. The country is close to the point where 2 percent of its electricity will come from wind turbines.

The American Wind Energy Association, in its annual report to be released on Tuesday, said the amount of capacity added last year, 9,900 megawatts, was the largest on record, and was 18 percent above the capacity added in 2008, also a banner year.


The group said the growth of wind power was helped by the federal stimulus package that passed a year ago, which extended a tax credit and provided other investment incentives for the industry.

But the growth could be slow...