Wind energy tax credit extension will benefit Nevada

A report by the Nevada-based Clean Energy Project announced recently that at least $5.5 billion has been invested in Nevada clean energy, a milestone in the Silver State’s emergence as a national renewable-energy hub.

For wind power, extending the Production Tax Credit means keeping the private investment and U.S. manufacturing jobs coming. Sen. Heller and 143 of his colleagues in Congress agree. On March 21, a bipartisan group of congressmen sent a letter to their leaders urging for an extension of this important incentive.

Heller gets it. Taking advantage of Nevada’s significant wind resource translates into opportunities for economic development, permanent jobs, an expanded tax base and a more reliable and secure grid.

Nevada’s first utility-scale wind farm by Pattern Energy is already generating those benefits, including more than half a million dollars in yearly revenues for White Pine County. The facility also gives thousands a year to the local Great Basin College, preparing the next generation for the challenges of the future.

By extending the PTC, we can help ensure that this investment in clean energy will keep growing. Both sides of the aisle can agree — it’s an economic win-win for Nevadans and the country.

Tom Darin, Washington, D.C.

The writer is West regional representative for the American Wind Energy Association.