Is the US wind industry finally hitting its stride?
Compared to other countries, wind energy in the US is relatively new, but there are signs that the industry is gaining strength. Below are some issues the US wind industry needs to address to become a stronger player on the world stage.
Environmental concerns and PR problems
Do wind turbines kill birds? and bats? and whales? Well, it’s happened, but not as much as some channels want to suggest. Compared to the dangers posed to wildlife and the overall environment, the US wind industry is cleaner and greener and has less impact on the environment than most other energy sources.
But on a commercial scale, the US wind industry is new, and it’s human nature to distrust new things. Meanwhile, the rest of the world has been building wind farms and reaping the benefits – increasing energy production and also industry expertise.
Besides environmental issues, the US wind industry has another PR problem: Putting failures into perspective.
Wind turbine collapses in OK and CO in early 2023 were dramatic, and they provided the kind of clickbait the internet thrives on. ‘Wind turbines taller than the Statue of Liberty collapse’ guarantees a lot of web traffic; never mind that the linked articles were poorly researched and lacked context.
The missing context? Failures are inherent in every type of machinery. Consider the number of recalls in the auto industry, and the myriad known failures that never reach recall status. Percentage-wise, the number of turbines that actually fail amount to tiny blips, posing far less danger to people and property than a car engine that may suddenly stop on a crowded freeway.
There are some good trends in the US wind industry and how it is perceived by the general public. Community involvement from the earliest stages of offshore wind developments on the US eastern seaboard, for example, has resulted in a more educated, thoughtful group of voters, investors, and workers. And – best of all – while the process of public collaboration moves slowly, it also produces better projects.
US wind industry lacks experience, workforce
While the US Department of Energy notes there are more than 500 U.S. manufacturing facilities specializing in wind components such as blades, towers, generators, and turbine assembly across the country, US wind energy lags behind the rest of the world. However, there are signs the country is catching up, thanks to ingenuity and investment.
Just look west.
It’s not surprising that Texas, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas – four states rich in oil and gas industry expertise – also have the most installed towers. Sure, there are geographic reasons, like large expanses of affordable land and consistently available wind combined with business-friendly state policies.
There are also undeniable overlaps in other resources, notably infrastructure, technology, and workforce know-how, that explain why western states are leading the growth of the US wind industry. Case in point: one of the leading companies in subsea rock installation is headquartered in Texas. It makes sense, based on the state’s vast experience in the US oil and gas industry.
While much of that oil and gas expertise transfers well into the development of offshore wind, there are still big gaps in experience – and a troubling lack of equipment.
US Wind Energy; Innovations, Manufacturing, and Technology
A combination of state and federal incentives are moving the needle in US wind energy, as are a number of encouraging new technologies and manufacturing innovations all over the country.
Although some new US production facilities are not US-owned (like the Siemens Gamesa nacelle factory in New York announced earlier this year), for the most part, the workers will be US citizens.
Earlier this year, when Arcosa announced it would open a tower manufacturing plant in New Mexico, it wasn’t the first company in the US wind industry to take advantage of the state’s incentives. In 2021, New Jersey-based WTEC brought its business – along with 350 jobs – to New Mexico. WTEC manufactures wire cable that powers solar projects and wind turbines.
And ArcVera global, headquartered Colorado, is studying wake turbulence and working with clients worldwide to solve technical challenges in the wind and other renewable energy sectors.
One of our favorite innovation stories of the year so far comes from Pampas, Texas, where Keystone Tower Systems and GE Renewable Energy are making the world’s first spiral welded towers.
The city of Pampa is a good example of what an “overnight success” looks like in wind. While a lot of headlines have featured the little Texas panhandle town in the past few months, the Pampa Economic Development Corporation was laying the groundwork well before 2007.
Repowering is another growing aspect of the US wind industry. This interview with Rangel Renewables offers a good overview of repowering projects.
How much is the IRA helping the US Wind Industry?
Some have questioned whether the Inflation Reduction Act, with incentives aplenty, may actually not be good for the global renewables market and for the US wind industry.
While employing US workers and sourcing from American companies sounds like a good idea, we can’t afford to lose sight of the bigger picture. In addition to the incredibly vast number of technologies, as well as the actual pieces and parts, needed to supply the creation and maintenance of on- and offshore wind energy in the US, we also need to rely on the knowledge and experience other countries have accumulated.
US needs more Cooperation, Collaboration
Within the industry, from top to bottom, the US must continue to pool its resources and share knowledge. Although the largest OEMs and owners may not provide the best collaborative business models, hundreds of third-party manufacturers do. Smaller manufacturers create everything from data sensors and drones to lightning diverters, LPS systems, and safety gear. At every trade show we’ve attended, representatives of those companies gather like swarms of bees, pooling their knowledge and buzzing with the sound of progress.
Without exception, guests on the Uptime podcast share the most important details and research into wind industry issues and technical solutions. It’s a great time to be in the wind energy business.
There are bright spots in the landscape and we expect to see American ingenuity (and that new stream of US wind investment, the IRA) pay off by creating the technologies needed to move the whole world closer to reaching its energy production needs and emissions goals. Stay tuned.
With more than 100,000 downloads, The Uptime Wind Energy Podcast brings together engineering, business development, and policy experts as well as individual company owners and operators to expand and share knowledge of the US wind industry, the global energy market, and the technology that drives renewable energy. Listen on your favorite platform. Know someone who should be a guest on the Uptime Wind Energy Podcast? Let us know.
Resources
Wind Manufacturing and Supply Chain
Wind Energy Technologies Office
US Makes ‘no apologies’ for prioritizing American jobs, clean energy tsar tells EU
Financial Times February 24, 2023
Arcosa Chooses New Mexico for New Wind Tower Production Facility
Albuquerque Journal March 14, 2023
Wind Facilities Installed Capacity by State
Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
The Costs of Wind Production Tax Credits in the IRA
Forbes March 8, 2023
This Chinese offshore wind turbine will be able to power 90K homes
Electrek January 17, 2023
New York State is getting a big offshore wind factory
Electrek February 13, 2023
GE Renewable Energy Installs First Commercial Spiral-Welded Wind Turbine Tower
Renewable Energy Magazine February 27, 2023
Profile: Pampa Economic Development Corporation
Wind Systems Magazine March 11, 2014
How spiral tower manufacturing could revolutionize the industry
Power Engineering February 22, 2023
