The Answer, My Friend, Is Blowing in the Wind
Despite a recession-related dip, the “green energy” industry is still pretty hot. And it’s about to get hotter thanks to new federal regulations mandating that the country draw more of its power from alternative/renewable sources. One of those alternatives is wind. Jobs in the wind-power industry grew 70 percent last year, and associated industries (like windmill manufacturers) expect significant growth.
U.S. wind farms had a combined capacity of 25,300 megawatts by the end of 2008. And in 2009, industry watchers expect wind to generate enough electricity to power nearly 7 million homes. Texas is the king of wind power, with 7,118 megawatts produced each year, followed by Iowa with 2,791 and California with 2,517.
(Source: Associated Press)
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