The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final Clean Power Plan rule that will limit the amount of carbon dioxide pollution that can be emitted from existing power plants by 2030.

 

In response to this announcement, Wind on the Wires Executive Director Beth Soholt issued the following statement:

 

"Wind on the Wires' message for states and utilities in the Midwest is clear: Wind is a winner. And if you're not carving out a robust role for renewables, like wind, you're not choosing the lowest cost option, and you're missing out on the jobs, economic development, new tax revenue for communities, water savings and other benefits that flow from developing wind farms.

 

"The Clean Power Plan released today will merely accelerate the transition to a clean and cost effective renewable future for utility customers, which has already begun. Wind energy remains the biggest, fastest, and cheapest way states and utilities can comply with the Clean Power Plan. The Energy Information Administration studied a range of options for complying with the Clean Power Plan, and wind energy was consistently the lowest-cost option. In fact, wind can generate up to 57 percent of the needed clean power under the EIA's most cost-effective scenario.

 

"States and electric utilities can do this. Electric utilities have done a good job in the last decade of adding significant amounts of wind power to their generation portfolios, and an enormous amount wind is still available for harvest. The Midwest, with its vast cost-competitive wind resources, is uniquely suited to answer this even higher call for renewables outlined in the final rule today." 

 

Wind on the Wires

www.windonthewires.org