LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s wind power production continues to lag behind Iowa and other nearby states that offer better incentives and don’t rely entirely on public power.
The Lincoln Journal Star reports (http://bit.ly/10s1M9S ) wind power development in Nebraska has been hurt because the state’s publicly owned utilities can’t qualify for the same incentives as private companies.
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Critics from the wind power industry and environmental groups say Nebraska should do more to encourage projects. Lawmakers are debating a couple bills to bolster Nebraska’s renewable energy incentives, but that might not be enough to make the state competitive.
But just last week, MidAmerican Energy Co. announced plans to invest another $1.9 billion in Iowa wind farms. Those projects could add as much as 1,050 megawatts of wind power to the 2,285 megawatts of wind power the company already owns or operates.
The American Wind Energy Association says Iowa already leads the nation in wind power production with 24.5 percent of Iowa’s electricity coming from wind power. That’s impressive considering that Iowa ranks seventh in wind power potential.
Nebraska has about 400 megawatts of windmills installed in the state. That’s expected to double over the next couple years because $600 million has been committed to several projects.
Nebraska ranks among the top five wind-producing states in the nation but 26th in the energy it could produce with the equipment currently installed, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Nebraska lags behind its neighboring states: Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado and Kansas.
Rich Lombardi, state lobbyist for the Wind Coalition, said the wind power incentives Nebraska does offer have proven unworkable. Meanwhile, Iowa and other states offer much more.
“In Iowa, they have renewable energy goals that have propelled Iowa toward high percentages of renewable energy growth,” Lombardi said.
Wind power companies are also rewarded for production tax credits in Iowa, and there is no limit on the sales tax credits they can use, he said.
Nebraska lawmakers are considering two bills that would expand and strengthen the state’s incentives for wind power.
One bill would offer sales tax refunds on wind power equipment. The other bill would make incentives available to all types and sizes of renewable energy projects.
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Information from: Lincoln Journal Star, http://www.journalstar.com
