The wind energy industry supports manufacturing and construction jobs in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is a manufacturing hub for wind that has significant opportunity to expand its wind

Pennsylvania
Blue counties have installed wind capacity.
Green dots are wind energy manufacturing facilities.

installations.

WIND PROJECTS

Currently online: 1029 megawatts (MW)

Added in 2012 YTD: 240 MW

Added in 2011: 41.2 MW

Under construction: 310 MW

Wind projects in queue: 2,813 MW

Pennsylvania ranks 15th nationally in total wind capacity installed.

GENERATION AND POTENTIAL

Percentage of Pennsylvania power provided by wind in 2011: 0.9%

Equivalent number of homes Pennsylvania wind farms now power: 250,000

State wind resource: 3,307 MW at 80 meter hub height

According to a resource assessment from the National Renewable Energy Lab, Pennsylvania’s wind resource could provide 6.4 percent of the state’s current electricity needs.

PennsylvaniaECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

Investment in wind power is an investment in jobs, including jobs in operations and maintenance, construction, manufacturing and many support sectors. In addition, wind power projects produce lease payments for landowners and increase the tax base of communities. 

• Total direct and indirect jobs supported in 2011: 3,001-4,000

• Annual property tax payments by wind project owners: $1.4 million

• Annual land lease payments: over $2.3 million

Generating wind power creates no emissions and uses virtually no water. The wind power installed in Pennsylvania will avoid over 1.75 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

MANUFACTURING SECTOR

Pennsylvania is becoming a manufacturing powerhouse for the wind energy industry. Many of the skills Pennsylvania workers possess easily transfer to wind energy manufacturing, providing thousands of new jobs and spurring billions in investment. Many Pennsylvania companies have already begun supplying to the wind energy industry. At least 15 facilities currently manufacture components for the wind energy industry.

Pennsylvania has also attracted significant wind-specific investment. One of the global leaders in the manufacture of wind turbines, Gamesa, chose Pennsylvania as its American hub. Gamesa now employs over 800 workers in Pennsylvania in its manufacturing and sales division, including 600 USW workers. Gamesa invested over $175 million in facilities in Pennsylvania. Investment of this type at the top of the wind energy supply chain, by Gamesa and others, has spurred further investment throughout the supply chain. 

PENNSYLVANIA Policy

Pennsylvania passed an Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS) in 2004, requiring electricity suppliers to supply 18 percent of their sales from alternative energy sources by 2020.
 

Federal Policy- The Production Tax Credit

The federal legislators listed below have publicly indicated their position on the federal renewable energy production tax credit (PTC).  If your legislator is not listed, he or she has not taken a public stance.

Representative Jim Gerlach- Pennsylvania 6th district (R)

Rep. Gerlach has publicly expressed support for the PTC extension by:
  • Cosponsoring H.R. 3307, a bill that proposes to extend the PTC for four years.
  • Signing a letter to the House Ways and Means Subcommittee Chairman in April 2012, urging a PTC extension in the “next available tax legislation.”

Representative Michael Fitzpatrick- Pennsylvania 8th district (R)

Rep. Fitzpatrick has publicly expressed support for the PTC extension by:
  • Signing a letter to the House Ways and Means Subcommittee Chairman in April 2012, urging a PTC extension in the “next available tax legislation.”
  • Signing a letter to the House Republican leadership in June 2012, urging them to take up a PTC extension as soon as possible.

Representative Mark Critz- Pennsylvania 12th district (D)

Rep. Critz has publicly expressed support for the PTC extension by:
  • Cosponsoring H.R. 3307, a bill that proposes to extend the PTC for four years.
  • Signing a letter to the House Ways and Means Subcommittee Chairman and Ranking Member in April 2012, urging a PTC extension in the “next available piece of tax legislation.”

Representative Allyson Schwartz- Pennsylvania 13th district (D)

Rep. Schwartz has publicly expressed support for the PTC extension by:
  • Cosponsoring H.R. 3307, a bill that proposes to extend the PTC for four years.
  • Signing a letter to the House Ways and Means Subcommittee Chairman and Ranking Member in April 2012, urging a PTC extension in the “next available piece of tax legislation.”

Representative Michael Doyle- Pennsylvania 14th district (D)

Rep. Doyle has publicly expressed support for the PTC extension by:
  • Cosponsoring H.R. 3307, a bill that proposes to extend the PTC for four years.
  • Signing a letter to the House Ways and Means Subcommittee Chairman and Ranking Member in April 2012, urging a PTC extension in the “next available piece of tax legislation.”

Representative Charles Dent- Pennsylvania 15th district (R)

Rep. Dent has publicly expressed support for the PTC extension by:
  • Cosponsoring H.R. 3307, a bill that proposes to extend the PTC for four years.

Representative Jim Pitts- Pennsylvania 16th (R)

Rep. Pitts has publicly expressed opposition to the PTC extension by:
  • Signing a letter to Speaker Boehner in September 2012, urging him to let the PTC expire at the end of 2012.

Representative Todd Platts- Pennsylvania 19th (R)

Rep. Platts has publicly expressed support for the PTC extension by:
  • Cosponsoring H.R. 3307, a bill that proposes to extend the PTC for four years.
  • Signing a letter to the House Ways and Means Subcommittee Chairman in April 2012, urging a PTC extension in the “next available tax legislation.”

Senator Bob Casey (D)

Sen. Casey has publicly expressed support for the PTC extension by:

Senator Pat Toomey (R)

Sen. Toomey has publicly expressed opposition to the PTC extension by:
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Updated November 2012 | Calculations based on national and state averages