Representatives Tom Reed (R-NY) and Mike Thompson (D-CA), re-introduced legislation to provide a multi-year extension of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for small-scale wind power, and other clean energy technologies. The bill is titled the "Technologies for Energy Security Act" providing parity with solar energy's tax extension passed into law in 2015. Notably, the legislation would extend both the business and residential ITC through 2021. 

"Distributed wind power provide benefits to rural communities and small businesses across the country. We applaud Reps. Reed, Thompson and the other original co-sponsors for their leadership in introducing this legislation," stated Jennifer Jenkins, Executive Director of DWEA. "Support for distributed wind power grows America's small businesses and supports the growth of U.S. manufacturing jobs. It also builds economic opportunity and energy self- sufficiency in rural towns from Maine to California," 

"Distributed wind will expand the way solar has in recent years, but it takes smart, timely Federal policies to bring the technology's potential to reality. This bill moves us much further in that direction," said Mike Bergey, DWEA's President.

Allowing the ITC to expire puts jobs and rural small businesses at risk, and consumers left with less "energy choice." "It's a real shame that homeowners can get a federal tax credit on an imported solar system, but not a small wind turbine built in America. This bill fixes that," noted Bergey. 

DWEA would also like to thank the bill's additional original co-sponsors, Republicans Pat Meehan, Tom Cole, Dave Reichert, John Faso, Todd Rokita, Markwayne Mullin, Mia Love, Frank Lobiondo, Rob Blum, David Young, and Democrats Earl Blumenauer, John Larson, Paul Tonko, Ron Kind, Mark Pocan, and Tony Cardenas.

DWEA projects 30 gigawatts by 2030 and tens of thousands of new jobs with the right policies in place. DWEA's white paper can be found here: http://distributedwind.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/DWEA-Distributed-Wind-Vision.pdf

DWEA | www.distributedwind.org