WASHINGTON - Early last year, wind energy appeared poised for substantial growth, buoyed by a new administration, a push to cut greenhouse gases and dependence on foreign oil, and a Congress with comfortable Democratic majorities.

Today, the industry is on the defensive.

With millions of dollars and thousands of jobs at stake, backers of wind energy hope to regain the momentum they enjoyed a year ago, insisting that proposed "buy American" legislation is misguided and that a national renewable energy requirement remains within reach.

"We have the facts on our side, and the white hat," said Denise Bode, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association, which held a news conference last week in Washington to pressure Congress to require more use of renewable energy.

The key for advocates of green power is a federal "renewable electricity standard," which would require utilities to buy power from renewable sources, including wind and solar. Bode's association and its allies want Congress to pass legislation requiring that 25 percent of power come from renewable sources by 2025.

So far, 29 states and the District of Columbia have adopted their own renewable energy standards. South Dakota has a voluntary goal that 10 percent of all retail electricity sold be from renewable and recycled energy by 2015. The state's wind farms now generate 313 megawatts of power.

But industry advocates hope for a single federal standard.

Read full article by Theo Emery at Argus Leader >>