The 9,922 MW installed last year expand the nation’s wind plant fleet by 39% and bring total wind power generating capacity in the U.S to over 35,000 MW. The five-year average annual growth rate for the industry is now 39%, up from 32% between 2003 and 2008. U.S. wind projects today generate enough to power the equivalent of 9.7 million homes, protecting consumers from fuel price volatility and strengthening our energy security. - AWEA’s (American Wind Energy Association) 1/26/10

This news of increased installed wind energy systems (of this size) is indeed great news for not only the U.S. but the world. Ten thousand mega-watts (MW) of wind turbines create an amazing amount of energy from renewable sources. A chief wind energy advantage over non-renewable sources of energy is that unlike fuel, the wind is free! So once paid for, the cost of the energy is very little over the lifetime of the wind energy system; particularly for systems of this size, the actual Cost of Energy (COE) is remarkably low.

“The U.S. wind energy industry shattered all installation records in 2009, chalking up the Recovery Act as a historic success in creating jobs, avoiding carbon, and protecting consumers,” said AWEA CEO Denise Bode. But there is still much to be done; it will take effort to keep it that way, and allow wind to flourish into a great energy solution for the nation. One way to keep on this track is national Renewable Energy Standard (RES), which help provide the necessary stability to keep expanding US operations in the wind industry.

This is also good for small and medium sized wind energy system installers; increased use of wind energy has the added affect of raising public awareness. This is one of the bigger challenges and higher awareness will spur interest in the homeowner, business or farm owner to save by using wind’s clean aesthetically pleasing means for the generation of energy. Typically these smaller systems, which are installed at the point of consumption, create a distributed generation model for energy. Compared to the centralized ‘power plant’ model, the distributed generation model helps to enhance our grid security, robustness and availability while lessening the load on our already strained power grid.

Point of consumption energy creation puts the power in the people’s hands (like the 9.7 million homes in American that have a secure energy future). It gives them control over their source of energy and allows them to lessen their impact on the environment.