Tell Congress to Support Small Wind

 

	Small wind systems give consumers the opportunity to choose clean energy - to vote with their wallet.  They also create jobs, provide protection against energy price spikes, improve the reliability of the power grid, and help the environment.  Installing a home sized wind turbine is the pollution equivalent of taking an SUV off the road.
	Many people would like to install a small wind system, but find the current prices too high.  A tax credit would spur sales, which would increase production volumes and bring costs down.
	There have been no federal tax incentives since 1985.  A few states offer incentives, but the federal government offers nothing for small wind.  The federal Production Tax Credit covers only windfarm projects.
	The current Energy Bill, which failed to pass this year, contained a very small tax credit for homeowners:  15% up to $2,000.  This credit would not be enough to spur sales.  There was nothing for businesses.
	A five-year 30% tax credit program on turbines up to 75 kW would increase sales enough to bring manufacturing costs down significantly, making small wind systems affordable to homeowners, farmers, and small businesses.
	What you can do to help:  Ask your Representative to co-sponsor (sign on to) House Bill 790 and ask your two Senators to co-sponsor Senate Bill 759.  Here are some resources to help you help us:   You can, very easily, send free faxes to your Representative and both Senators in support of small wind by going to www.windenergyaction.com.   You can use www.congress.org to find out who your Representative and Senators are and how to contact them.  You can also send an e-mail message to them directly from this web site.      The message can be as simple as "Please co-sponsor HR 790 / S 759 so we can make wind technology affordable for homeowners".   You can access HR 790 and S 759 through the THOMAS web site, thomas.loc.gov, of the Library of Congress.  The Thomas site has the text of each bill and a list of the current co-sponsors.   A Bergey Windpower press release on this initiative is available, click here.    A two-page talking points (briefing) document in Microsoft Word (323 KB) is available, click here. For an 85 KB PDF version, click here.

"Thank you for helping.  Our goal is to make small wind systems an affordable alternative for homeowners, farmers, and small businesses.  This tax credit issue is critical because we have to get this equipment into mass production to get the cost down."  Mike Bergey, President, Bergey Windpower Co.