WIND INDUSTRY LEADERS WARN CONGRESS THAT A WEAK RES COULD CEDE JOBS TO ASIA, EUROPE

Washington, D.C. A group of representatives from major wind industry
companies today released a letter to key members of Congress urging
them to strengthen the renewable electricity standard (RES) contained
in the draft bill unveiled this week by House Energy and Commerce
Committee chairman Henry Waxman.

We are concerned that the significantly lower renewable targets
currently being discussed, as compared to proposals from President
Obama, Chairman Bingaman and Chairman Markey, will severely blunt the
signa
l for companies like ours that manufacture turbines and components
to invest billions of dollars to expand production and our workforces
in the U.S., the letter said.

It was signed by representatives of GE Energy, Vestas Americas, Gamesa,
NRG Systems, REPower USA, Broadwind Energy, TPI Composites, PPG
Industries, Clipper Windpower and AWEA.

A national RES is one of the strongest policies to promote more
renewable energy because the combination of long-term demand and an
immediate market triggers investment in manufacturing facilities. An
RES provides specific near-, mid-, and long-market demand that other
policies do not offer, the letter said.

The Waxman bill, co-introduced by Rep. Edward Markey, chairman of the
Energy and Environment Subcommittee, includes a renewable electricity
standard that is less than one-half the level proposed by President
Obama and Chairman Markey s original proposal. AWEA supports an RES of
25% by 2025.

The letter also warned, America is on the verge of losing the wind
manufacturing industry to Asia and Europe. There is significant
international trade in wind turbines and the competition to host this
industry is intense. America trails its competition in passing stable
renewable energy policy commitments. Thirty-seven other countries have
firm commitments.

RES Wind Manufacturers' Letter

AWEA is the national trade association of America s wind industry, with
more than 2,000 member companies, including global leaders in wind
power and energy development, wind turbine manufacturing, component and
service suppliers, and the world s largest wind power trade show. AWEA
is the voice of wind energy in the U.S., promoting renewable energy to
power a cleaner, stronger America. Look up information on wind energy
at the AWEA Web site. Find insight on industry issues at AWEA s blog
Into the Wind. Join AWEA on Facebook.