Bergey Windpower News

Bergey Windpower Requests the Public's Assistance in Improving the Energy Bill

 November 26, 2003

  Bergey Windpower Co., a small company manufacturing wind turbines for homes, farms, and small businesses, is requesting the publics assistance in correcting the favoritism for dirty, volatile, and unsafe energy sources in the current version of the Congressional Energy Bill.  "I was shocked at the difference between the buckets of money provided to the oil, gas, coal, and nuclear industries and the pittance offered to consumers who want to install wind or solar systems at their homes.  We know from opinion polls, and from the thousands of calls we have received, that the Congress is 180 degrees out of step with the public on energy priorities." noted Mike Bergey, BWC's president.  "We can't match the entrenched energy industries in their political contributions, their high power lobbyists, or their use of corporate jets to ferry Congress members around the country, but maybe we can generate enough calls, e-mails, and letters to Congress to send the message."

  Small wind turbines can be installed at homes and businesses to reduce utility bills, but they are too expensive today to be affordable by the average consumer.  The problem is low manufacturing volume.  A federal tax credit is needed to spur sales and lower manufacturing costs.  The current Energy Bill, which almost passed this year, contained a very weak consumer tax credit for small wind systems, far too weak to spur the market.  The provision provided a 15% tax credit to homeowners, capped at $2,000.  Businesses would receive no tax credit on a small wind turbine.  "On a $40,000 wind system for a home or farm, a $2,000 credit won't sway very many consumers.  We believe a 30% credit with no caps could make this technology affordable in five years at a cost to the government that is peanuts compared to the incentives proposed for fossil fuels and nuclear.  In fact, according to the Joint Tax Committee, a 30% small wind turbine credit would have cost only 1/16th of 1% of the Energy Bill's $32 billion in incentives.  How the Congress found this unaffordable is beyond my comprehension."

  The best way for people to promote an effective small wind turbine tax credit is to ask their Congressional representatives to co-sponsor (sign on to) Senate Bill 759 and House Bill 790.  These bills can be accessed though the Thomas web site of the Library of Congress: http://thomas.loc.gov/ .  Bergey Windpower has posted simple instructions on contacting Congress and a "briefing points" document on its web site at: http://www.bergey.com/News/SmWindCredit.htm.

  "I can only hope that the public will make its voice heard on this issue.  It's the best way I see for this technology to make the cost breakthrough everybody wants." concluded Mike Bergey.

   Mike Bergey, President, Bergey Windpower Co.

   T:  405-364-4212    F: 405-364-2078    E-mail:  mbergey@bergey.com