15 Companies Tell Congress To Renew Key Wind Power Tax Credit

In a recent letter to Congress, fifteen of the country's largest consumers of alternative energy, including Starbucks, Yahoo! and Campbell's Soup, voiced their support for renewing the Production Tax Credit, (PTC) set to expire in December 2012.

The letter states that the "PTC has enabled the industry to slash wind energy costs by some 90% since 1980..." 


Forbes magazine states that wind now supplies over 3% of US demand and accounts for 35% of new power capacity installed in the last four years.  In the seven years that the PTC has been continuously in place, installed wind capacity has grown sevenfold to nearly 47 Gigawatts representing more than $60 billion in private investment.

Interestingly, the letter identifies that when wind energy enters a market, overall rates fall.  And that benefits everyone -- whether they use alternative power or not.

Signatories:
     Levi Strauss & Co.          Starbucks                      Campbell Soup
     Annie’s Homegrown        Clif Bar                          Staples
     Yahoo! Inc.                      New Belgium Brewing   Aspen Skiing Company             
     Ben & Jerry’s                   Nike                                Anvil Knitwear

     Seventh Generation         Stonyfield Farm             The North Face