Sunday, June 03, 2007
Governor Travels To California To Highlight Iowa's Growing Wind Industry
Governor Culver to Join Panel at the American Wind Energy Association Convention
(Des Moines) On Monday and Tuesday, Governor Chet Culver will be in Los Angeles, California attending the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) annual conference. Governor Culver will highlight Iowa's growing wind industry and booming renewable energy economy.
AWEA has set a goal of producing 20% of our nation's energy from renewable sources by 2020. Currently, one percent of our nation's energy comes from renewable sources. However, Iowa is well ahead of the national average with 12% of its energy coming from renewables.
Iowa's proud tradition in advanced manufacturing coupled with its position in the Windbelt makes Iowa the ideal location for both wind energy turbines and the production facilities that produce them.
"We have a booming wind industry in the state of Iowa," said Governor Culver. "In the past 24 months, three major wind energy manufacturers have chosen Iowa as the place to establish their North American production facilities - Acciona Energy, Siemans Wind Power, and Clipper Windpower.
"Thanks to this commitment to wind energy, Iowa now ranks third in the nation in wind energy production. When combined with our leadership in ethanol and bio-diesel production, Iowa is the nation's undisputed leader in renewable energy.
"Iowa is at the center of the Windbelt. A recent study projects that $3.2 billion of wind generation projects will be constructed each year for the next 7 years, - all within a 600 mile radius of Iowa. With these possibilities, there is no place better positioned, both figuratively and literally, to lead our nation's wind energy, and renewable energy, expedition than Iowa."