This week marks the third annual American Wind Week, a national celebration of U.S. leadership in wind energy production that started in 2017 when wind became the country’s largest source of renewable electricity generating capacity.
During Wind Week, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) is holding dozens of events across the country and online with #AmericanWindWeek.
Anyone can participate in American Wind Week by posting on social media in support of wind energy and using #AmericanWindWeek. Each weekday, until August 16th, AWEA will blog and share highlights from events happening around the country themed after five unique ways that wind powers opportunity for Americans.
In New York, the Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACE NY) is celebrating American Wind Week by releasing New York Celebrates Wind Week, which commemorates our recent tour for State legislators and staff held at the Maple Ridge Wind Farm in Lowville, NY.
“For this year’s American Wind Week, there’s a record amount of U.S. wind energy under construction and the 114,000 Americans in our industry are working hard to make the energy you use cheaper and cleaner,” said AWEA CEO Tom Kiernan. “As an all-American energy source, wind is a leading contributor to domestic energy production, economic opportunity, and the fight to minimize climate change.”
“Already, more than 3,000 New Yorkers make their living in the wind industry, and over 1,128 wind turbines are spinning in New York today.” said Anne Reynolds, Executive Director of ACE NY. “There is so much opportunity to grow those jobs and create more emission-free power through the construction of additional wind farms in Upstate New York, and off the shore of Long Island and New York City.” She continued, “In New York, more than $47 million is paid by the wind industry in state and local taxes annually.”
The wind industry is proud that America’s veterans find wind jobs at a rate 67% higher than the average industry because they have the skills and dedication to keep wind farms running rain or shine. (Click here for specific New York Wind Energy Facts).
“Offshore wind is a new industry for New York and the nation, but it is on ready to take off. In July, New York announced its second and third awards for offshore wind developments, collectively the largest in the U.S. to date, and those awards will mean thousands of construction jobs and billions in infrastructure investments to get those projects built,” said Joe Martens, Director of the New York Offshore Wind Alliance.
Building a U.S. offshore wind industry will reliably deliver large amounts of clean energy to America’s biggest population centers, grow tens of thousands of well-paying American jobs, revitalize ports and coastal infrastructure, and create a nearly $70 billion U.S. supply chain.
Kathleen Gasperini, Communications Director for ACE NY stated: “We recently launched Friends of Upstate New York Wind with New Yorkers for Clean Power to provide a location for community supporters and organizations with a shared interest in providing accurate information about wind energy and wind energy projects in Upstate New York. We wanted to educate others on the benefits of harvesting the wind in order to increase energy diversity and security, boost economic development and bring in jobs.”
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