Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 13, 2011
CONTACT
Shawna Seldon
917.971.7852
Shawna@rosengrouppr.com
Candidates at straw poll sign names to giant wind blade
Six GOP presidential hopefuls join leading Iowa Republicans in endorsing wind energy
AMES, Iowa, Aug. 13—GOP presidential candidates Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain, and Thaddeus McCotter joined Iowa’s leading Republicans and hundreds of straw poll voters in covering a 130-foot wind turbine blade with signatures at the entrance to the Iowa straw poll today.
After signing the blade, Pawlenty said he wants to fix the boom-bust cycle created for the U.S. wind energy industry by the constant threat of the Production Tax Credit’s expiring (next in 2012). “We’ve got to smooth that out,” Pawlenty said. “[L]et's have them for like 3 or 5 years, so that investors can plan, get the permits, get the approvals, get the projects done. One year at a time is too unpredictable and too short, for the people who want to expand wind energy.”
Gingrich called wind a piece of his American energy program, and said he favors a 10-year extension of the PTC, to avoid the “up-and-down effect” on renewable energy development when the policy changes. “If you’re going to have tax credits that are designed to create investment, they have to have a long enough time horizon that people who invest believe that they’ll be there,” Gingrich said.
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a leader in getting the Production Tax Credit for renewable energy extended from 2003 through 2012, also signed the blade. He said that considering the U.S. currently spends $830 million a day on foreign oil, we need an “all of the above” energy strategy that includes wind.
U.S. Rep. Tom Latham (R-Iowa 4) credited wind energy for creating 700 manufacturing jobs at the TPI Composites wind blade plant in Newton, Iowa, which was formerly the headquarters for Maytag before those jobs moved overseas.
Steve Lockard, CEO of TPI Composites, greeted the candidates at the giant wind blade, which was made at his factory and drives turbines each capable of making power for 500-1,000 homes. Lockard said U.S. business appears to be strong through 2012, keeping 700 workers at his plant working around the clock. "There's growing concern about 2013 demand, due to the expiring tax credit," Lockard said.
Gov. Terry Branstad (R) told wind supporters last night at a pre-straw poll reception that “I never imagined how far we’d come” when he signed a state renewable energy standard in 1983, sparking an industry that now makes 20 percent of Iowa’s electricity from wind.
U.S. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa 5), said today as he signed the blade that wind generates more electricity in his congressional district than all the electricity his district uses. U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla. 20), at the straw poll to comment for the Democrats, stopped by and posed with King. She said Florida is looking forward to welcoming wind energy, too.
Also signing the blade, parked at the center of “candidates’ row” at the Iowa State Center, were Matt Strawn, chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa, Kraig Paulsen, speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives, and numerous other state elected officials and business leaders.
AWEA is the national trade association of America's wind industry, with 1,200 member companies, including global leaders in wind power and energy development, wind turbine manufacturing, component and service suppliers, and the world's largest wind power trade show, the WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition, which takes place next in Chicago, May 5-8, 2013. AWEA is the voice of wind energy in the U.S., promoting renewable energy to power a cleaner, stronger America. Look up information on wind energy at the AWEA website. Find insight on industry issues at AWEA's blog Into the Wind. Join AWEA on Facebook. Follow AWEA on Twitter.
