It’s a dicey time for the wind industry; for a number of reasons, a repeat of the record-breaking growth of the last two years is not in the cards for 2010. But that old cliché is true: when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Read this article in the Iowa City newspaper, which features Acciona officials detailing growth plans for their West Branch, Iowa, nacelle plant after a hard year. They are not giving up—in fact, just the opposite.
In addition to predicting an uptick in the market later this year, Acciona stated its intention to find more U.S. suppliers for its nacelle assembly operation.
«We’re trying to bring everything from Spain to the U.S.,» said Joseph Baker, who started as the new CEO of Acciona Windpower North America this spring. That will mean more U.S. manufacturing jobs.
Of course, the right policies will help Acciona and others in the industry rebound further and create even more urgently needed American jobs with a future. Before Congress heads out of town this summer, they need to pass a renewable electricity standard (RES) to stabilize the market and help attract investment in manufacturing. The first step is for the Senate to take up an energy bill, and they are more likely to do that if they hear from voters. To make your voice heard, go to Powerofwind.org
