Evwind, Wind Energy

Wind energy industry says consistent tax policy from Congress needed to avoid losing more U.S. manufacturing jobs

In the wake of today’s announcement from Nordex USA, Inc. that it will cease manufacturing wind turbine housings at its factory in Jonesboro, Arkansas, largely because of unpredictable U.S. policies, the U.S. wind energy industry renewed its call for a predictable tax policy to keep U.S. manufacturing jobs.

“Wind power has been good for Arkansas consumers and businesses, and wind power could do a lot more for the state if we had predictable national policies to create a stable business environment,” said Rob Gramlich, Senior Vice President for Public Policy of the American Wind Energy Association. “That starts by keeping the federal Production Tax Credit in place to allow wind energy to scale up as rapidly as it can. Nordex said uncertainty is one of the main reasons for their business decision to cease building wind turbine nacelles in Jonesboro.””Arkansas has positioned itself to take advantage of the wind industry’s growth in the region, which is providing low-cost electricity in Arkansas and exporting energy east,” Gramlich added. “And consumers are saving, because wind power holds down the overall cost of electricity on fixed-price contracts. But predictable policies to create a stable business environment are critical, especially if we want to maintain this new U.S. manufacturing sector and tens of thousands of good-paying jobs. That will take action by Congress.”

Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Arkansas, responded to the news today by saying, “I