Samantha Zeitz

Alternative power generation or renewable power is expected to rise to 25 percent of global gross power generation by 2018. Some methods are becoming more popular than others. Wind energy has been taking over as one of the most used green sources of electricity.

Alternative power is booming more than ever since a five-year extension of the Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit was passed in the federal budget deal in the United States.

Another one of the main reasons for this sudden spike of popularity in wind power is the price. “The cost of the wind energy is down by 66 percent – or two thirds – since 2009,” Michael Goggin, senior director of research at the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) told the news team at Environmental News Network.

Four point five to five percent of total energy used in the states and 10 percent in nine different states, is made possible by wind energy. Only eight years ago, this number was at one percent. In 2013 alone, over 35,000 megawatts of energy were harnessed from wind power globally. This energy is a low carbon source, helping make it a sound green power alternative.

The industry hit a new milestone in November 2015, with a generating capacity of 70 gigawatts. “That’s enough to power about 19 million homes,” says Goggin. According to him, if this industry remains growing at the same pace it is now, wind energy will generate one fifth of the energy in America by 2030.

Not only has this clean energy source helped the planet, but it’s also improving the employment field. Near the end of 2013, almost 60,000 people were employed directly in the wind industry. They worked in a variety of different jobs within the construction and operation sectors. Over 17,000 of them being in the manufacturing sector.