Can the US Wind Industry Get Beyond Its Boom-Bust Cycle?

Wind has become a favorite target for politicians and conservative action groups looking end energy subsidies. But industry leaders are hitting back, saying they’ll only consider dropping the production tax credit when oil and gas lose their tax benefits. But does it need the subsidy? The average price for U.S. wind contracts is now 2.5 cents per kilowatt-hour. Some argue that the industry would remain competitive even without the PTC, and could avoid boom-bust cycles if it were eliminated. In this episode, Tom Kiernan, the CEO of the American Wind Energy Association, joins us to defend the industry’s stance on tax credits. He’ll also talk about some key economic and technology developments in the sector. Then, we take a look at the Ecomodernist manifesto, a new document from a group of academics, scientists and analysts outlining a human-based approach to environmentalism they call the “good Anthropocene.” Finally, we turn to the devastation in Nepal and ask whether distributed renewables can play a more prominent role in disaster response. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.