Suzanne Tegen is finishing up a Ph.D. in energy policy at the University of Colorado and recently received the Young Wind Advocate award from Wind Powering America, a nationwide group that promotes wind energy. Tegen has worked at the National Renewable Energy Lab [1] and is on the board of the university's Environmental Center, which runs some of the country's most progressive campus environmental programs. She also served as the communications director for the Center for Resource Solutions [2] in San Francisco. Tegen talked to LIME about wind energy, the future of renewables, and what you can do to increase your commitment to wind.

LIME: Why is wind power so important?

Suzanne Tegen: Wind power is one of the answers to our rapidly increasing need for electricity. It’s an inexpensive inexhaustible resource that we should add to our mix of electricity sources.

LIME: What advantages does it have over other renewable sources?

Tegen: Wind power is domestic: We don’t rely on other countries with whom we have or may have politically charged relations.

It’s clean. Electricity production is the leading cause of some forms of air pollution in the U.S. We get most of our power in this country from old coal plants. Wind turbines produce electricity without contributing to air pollution or global warming [2]. Wind power also has none of the waste, radiation and proliferation issues that go along with nuclear power.

When a wind turbine has been erected, the actual source of electricity (the wind) is free! Wind has very low operations costs unlike natural gas, nuclear power, and coal.

In some parts of the country (for example, in Texas and Colorado), customers who buy wind power from their utilities have lower bills than those who have chosen to stick with the more conventional fuel options (natural gas and coal).

Wind power is not only domestic, but it has strong economic development potential where the U.S. needs help. Rural landowners like farmers and ranchers earn revenue for allowing wind power developers to put turbines on their land. They can earn up to $5,000 or more per wind turbine per year, in some parts of the country. New wind farms also increase property values tax revenues used to improve schools, roads and other county infrastructure.

Finally, new projects are being proposed on Native American reservations where tribes would own the turbines and therefore receive revenue created from the electricity each year.

LIME: What are its disadvantages?

Tegen: Wind is an intermittent resource, therefore it does not produce electricity all the time. However, it produces a very small percentage of our power – less than two percent, so people who control the electric grid have repeatedly said that it is not hard to add into the mix when the wind is blowing.

Some people do not like looking at wind turbines so there are controversies over siting of wind farms. However, especially offshore, wind projects will be very small on the horizon. On-land projects are easier to see and are typically built away from population centers, where the wind is most steady.

The biggest disadvantage to wind power is that it is viewed as a new and untested source of electricity. This will take time and experience to overcome but people will see that wind is one important answer to our electricity needs.

LIME: What’s the next wave in the world of wind power?

Tegen: Offshore wind projects are currently underway in northern European countries. These wind turbines are bigger than onshore turbines because the wind blows stronger and more often at sea. Also, researchers are studying a wind-hydrogen power nexus.

LIME: What’s your prediction for the role of renewables in the U.S. over the next few years?

Tegen: Wind energy is expected to increase rapidly. It is already the fastest growing source of new electricity generation in this country. I believe solar power will also increase, mostly on a smaller scale, over the next few years. Businesses are starting to invest in wind and solar power – not only for environmental reasons. Wind can save them money and solar power can make them less reliable on the electricity grid in times of blackout danger.

LIME: Will renewables become increasingly important energy sources for us, with or without federal help? Or are more federal initiatives required?

Tegen: Renewable energy resources will increase with or without federal resources. Many wind power purchasers are large international commercial and industrial companies (e.g., Johnson & Johnson, Starbucks, IBM and Safeway). These companies have pledged to purchase cleaner power even if they are not forced to by regulation.

Every energy resource gets federal help. Renewable resources receive much less federal assistance than nuclear and fossil fuel resources. One of the most important things the federal government can do is to remain consistent. Congress has given the wind industry the federal production tax credit. The problem with this support for wind is that Congress also lets the credit lapse so that industry does not know whether it will be renewed or not. The best option would be to either support it or not support it, but keep the policy consistent.

LIME: You recently won an award for your work as a wind advocate. What specific projects were recognized?

Tegen: I researched wind energy’s economic development potential compared to natural gas and coal power. I found that, in many cases, if the same amount of power is produced from coal and from wind, wind will bring more money to the local economy, even in regions that use local coal. My specific award was for promoting sustainable energy and environmental solutions.

LIME: What can ordinary people do to increase their reliance on alternative energy [2] sources?

Tegen: The most important thing people can do is not use so much electricity in the first place. There are plenty of sites with good advice for saving energy and lowering bills including the DOE's guide to energy efficiency and renewable energy [3].

People can inform themselves about wind power and other renewable resources easily on the internet by checking the American Wind Energy Association [4] or the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. [5] If people want to find out if they can purchase wind power through their local utility, there's a web site that shows their local options [6]. Everyone can support wind and other renewables!

Another way to support renewable power is to ask for it. If you belong to an energy cooperative, ask your board. Tell your utility and your elected officials that you care about and support renewable energy options.

Image credit: BLM [7]