New Wind Farms in the U.S. Do Not Bring Jobs("Most of the jobs are going overseas,")

[Craftsman]

Despite all the talk of green jobs, the overwhelming majority of stimulus money spent on wind power has gone to foreign companies, according to a new report by the Investigative Reporting Workshop at the American University's School of Communication in Washington, D.C.

Wind turbines are powered by strong prevailing winds in Palm Springs, Calif. The American Wind...
Wind turbines are powered by strong prevailing winds in Palm Springs, Calif. The American Wind Energy Association came out with a report last week that showed a drop in wind manufacturing jobs in the United States for last year. But during that time, enough wind farms have been built to power 2.4 million homes and create lots of new, green jobs.
(David McNew/Getty Images)Nearly $2 billion in money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has been spent on wind power, funding the creation of enough new wind farms to power 2.4 million homes over the past year. But the study found that nearly 80 percent of that money has gone to foreign manufacturers of wind turbines.


So Where Are the Jobs?
"Most of the jobs are going overseas," said Russ Choma at the Investigative Reporting Workshop. He analyzed which foreign firms had accepted the most stimulus money. "According to our estimates, about 6,000 jobs have been created overseas, and maybe a couple hundred have been created in the U.S."


http://abcnews.go.com/WN/wind-power-equal-job-power/story?id=9759949

[Lasher]

1. This is senseless.

Isn't there anything to invest in, where all the jobs have to be in the US?

[Craftsman]

2. The law could have been written to kep jobs here, but it wasn't.

[Skittles]

5. they manage to forget a lot of things don't they

fuckers

[Craftsman]

7. Free Traitors in both parties are like that.

[City Lights]

9. "Free traitors"

:thumbsup:

[Hannah Bell]

3. The construction companies that put up the installations get jobs.

I know one that does it. Depending on the size & type of installation, there's other stuff too - cement, for example. The US makes cement, & the installations use cement.

GE (US company) makes turbines. Not sure where, but they make them:

http://www.gepower.com/businesses/ge_wind_energy/en/index.htm

http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2009/12/10/2009-12-10_blowing_us_away_ge_inks_largest_wind_turbine_deal_ever.html

And it seems like a significant % of new installations use GE turbines:

"GE, based in Fairfield, Connecticut, retained the lead in largest number of wind turbines installed, with a 43 percent market share, the group said. Randers, Denmark-based Vestas had 13 percent, followed by Siemens AG and Suzlon Energy Ltd. with 9 percent each."

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aU5YTxhhDvIE&refer=home

Then there's the future maintenance & the future reduction in foreign oil purchases.

80% of the stimulus money going overseas sounds high to me. The company I know gets a cut of that money every time they put up a small or large installation.

[madokie]

10. I think this is all bullshit to begin with

I doubt any of the facts as they are given in this piece. Reads like someone with an agenda wrote this. not you Hannah but the authors of the study

[caraher]

4. This is the problem with letting manufacturing die

The long-term sickness our economy has is that we simply don't make many things of value in the US anymore. The "service economy," in the long run, only serves the nations that do.

If we hadn't allowed our manufacturing base to erode this story would have been very different...

[Hannah Bell]

8. GE & Mitsubishi both have some wind manufacturing in the US & some related jobs too.

In his letter, Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson wrote that 4,000 people worked at GE renewable energy facilities in Pensacola, Florida and elsewhere in the United States.

In a separate letter, Democrats Sen. Charles Schumer, Sen Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Paul Tonko noted that Schenectady, New York was the global headquarters for GE Wind's business, with more than 3,600 workers. "It is critical that in reviewing this case, the commission consider the importance of the domestic industries and ensure that intellectual property rights are upheld," their letter said.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0826169620100108

http://www.timesunion.com/ASPStories/Story.asp?StoryID=895887&LinkFrom=RSS


Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas Inc. announced Friday its intention to build a wind turbine manufacturing facility at Fort Smith.

The company estimated the investment at $100 million and said as many as 400 jobs could be created.

The subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., headquartered in Lake Mary, Fla., said it plans to begin construction by early 2011. The company said it plans to locate the plant in a new 200,000-SF facility on 90 acres of land formerly part of Fort Chaffee.


TPI Composites Opens Its Iowa Wind Blade Facility

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. and NEWTON, Iowa, – (Sept. 16, 2008) – TPI Composites, a leading provider of blades to the wind energy movement, held the grand opening ceremony of its 316,000-square-foot Newton production facility. The newly-built plant will manufacture high-performance wind turbine blades for distribution to the U.S. wind energy market. At full capacity, TPI Iowa plans to employ 500 associates, making it a significant provider of “green” jobs which will have a major economic impact in this Midwestern city.

TPI Composites engages in designing, engineering and manufacturing composite structures for the wind energy, transportation and military vehicle markets. In wind energy, the company delivers high-quality, cost-effective composite solutions through long-term agreements with the industry’s leading turbine manufacturers, including GE Energy and Mitsubishi Power Systems. TPI operates factories throughout the US, Mexico and China.

http://www.newenergyworldnetwork.com/renewable-energy-news/by_technology/energy_efficiency/wind-turbine-manufacturer-tpi-composites-raises-26m.html

[liberal N proud]

11. GE builds wind turbines in China

GE Energy Opens Wind Turbine Assembly Facility in China
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea//news/article/2006/06/ge-energy-opens-wind-turbine-assembly-facility-in-china-45306

GE Drivetrain finalizes joint venture for wind turbine industry
http://www.reliableplant.com/Read/19564/ge-drivetrain-finalizes-joint-venture-for-wind-turbine-industry

General Electric Partners with Chinese Company to Produce Wind Turbine Gears
http://www.mygreeneducation.com/general-electric-partners-with-chinese-company-to-produce-wind-turbine-gears/

Then there is this:

Foreign energy firms getting windfall of U.S. stimulus funds
Of the more than $2 billion the federal government has given out to boost the economy and create green-energy jobs, more than three-quarters has gone to foreign-owned companies that dominate the global wind-power industry. This latest finding by the Investigative Reporting Workshop, a nonprofit at American University in Washington, D.C., is illustrated clearly in San Diego County, where about a dozen commercial wind developers have offices.

La Jolla is the headquarters for Eurus Energy America, the subsidiary of a Japanese firm that received $91 million in federal stimulus money for a wind farm in western Texas. It plans to apply for more money to fund a wind project in Oregon.

EnXco, a French-owned firm with American headquarters in Escondido, has received $69.5 million in stimulus money for its wind farm in Indiana. It installed 53 German-made turbines at the site. EnXco also is operating the Texas wind farm for Eurus.

A-Power Energy Generation Systems, a Chinese-owned company that might get federal grants through a consortium building a wind farm in western Texas, lists a vacant office in downtown San Diego as its U.S. address on recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/feb/09/foreign-energy-firms-getting-windfall-of-us/


Mitsubishi Powers Past GE in Turbine Case
Mitsubishi is in the clear on variable speed turbines, says the ITC.
.Mitsubishi has pulled off a come-from-behind victory in a wind turbine patent case against General Electric (GE) in the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC).

In a Notice issued on January 8th, the ITC terminated its investigation of GE’s complaint and found Mitsubishi did not violate any claims of the three patents asserted by GE.

GE filed the complaint in March of 2008, accusing Mitsubishi of infringing on certain claims of U.S. Patent Nos. 5,083,039 (’039 Patent) and 6,921,985 (’985 Patent). GE later amended the complaint to include U.S. Patent No. 7,321,221 (’221 Patent).

The ‘039 Patent is entitled “Variable speed wind turbine” and is directed to a variable speed turbine that provides responsive control of the generator torque.

The ‘985 Patent is entitled “Low voltage ride through for wind turbine generators” and is directed to a wind turbine that includes a blade pitch control system and a turbine controller coupled with the blade pitch control system.
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/mitsubishi-power-past-ge-in-turbine-case/

GE is using the patent in the above article to imped US companies from developing wind turbines in the US thus creating jobs.

[Hannah Bell]

12. GE also builds them in the US.

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=ge+wind+turbine+manufacturing+locations&aq=f&aqi=&oq=&fp=baa94940edcea411

General Electric plans to build R&D wind turbine center in Detroit ...
Jun 25, 2009 ... development and manufacturing facility for wind turbines in Metro Detroit, sources tell Crain's. ... Given that GE chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt will be speaking at the ... it is believed the location will be in Oakland County. ... On my website my video speaks to wind turbine production and ...
www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20090625/FREE/906259997 - Cached - Similar

USA - GE Energy announces two new wind turbine blade facilities ...
Jan 13, 2008 ... (MFG, Ashtabula, Ohio,) for a new wind turbine manufacturing plant in Aberdeen, S.D. The plant will fabricate blades for GE's 1.5-MW machine ...
www.windfair.net/press/4206.html - Cached - Similar

GE Innovation Greenville Feature: Energy, Gas Turbines
On the manufacturing floor at GE Energy's Greenville location. Download Image (JPG, 2MB) ... GE Energy also produces the 1.5-megawatt wind turbine head. ...
www.ge.com/innovation/greenville/index.html - Cached - Similar

GE May be Looking for Local Manufacturers for Wind Turbines | SC ...
Apr 14, 2009 ... GE May be Looking for Local Manufacturers for Wind Turbines. WASHINGTON — Manufacturing of wind turbine parts in the United States grew last ...
scforgreen.com/.../ge-may-be-looking-for-local-manufacturers-for-wind-turbines/ - Cached - Similar

GE Energy - Wind Turbines
GE wind turbine technology features robust designs for long, ... of a 1.5 MW wind turbine in production at our Tehachapi, California manufacturing facility. ...
www.gepower.com/prod_serv/.../wind_turbines/en/index.htm - Cached -

SimilarGE Energy - Wind Energy at GE
GE is one of the world's leading wind turbine suppliers. ... With wind manufacturing and assembly facilities in Germany, Spain, China, Canada and the United ...
www.gepower.com/businesses/ge_wind_energy/.../index.htm - Cached - Similar


yes, the patent case was to keep mitsubishi out. big surprise.


the point is that contra the OP, there *is* wind manufacturing in the us, both by us & foreign-owned corps. & associated jobs.



this report contains a list of manufacturers by state & by component part, eg:
http://www.repp.org/articles/static/1/binaries/WindLocator.pdf

Table 2.2 - Manufacturers of Wind Components by State
State City Company Manufactured Parts

AL Birmingham (HQ onl Newmark International
Towers

AR Little Rock Priority Wire and Cable In
Balance of System

AZ Scottsdale Firetrace International
Safety Equipment

CA Rancho Cucamonga Ameron International Corp
Towers
Tower Flange and Bolts
CA Irvine Composite Technology Co
Balance of System
Towers
CA Santa Ana Contech Construction Prod
Towers
CA Goleta Enerpro Inc.
Electronic Controller
Power Electronics
CA Tehachapi GE Wind
Complete Wind Turbine
Power Electronics
Electronic Controller
CA Dublin Hexcel Corporation
Rotor Blade
CA Gardena Hitco Carbon Composites
Nacelle Case
Rotor Blade
CA National City Knight and Carver
Rotor Blade
CA Los Angeles Lift It Manufacturing
Safety Equipment
CA La Mesa Logic Beach Incorporated
Shafts
CA Newport Beach Mitsubishi Power Systems
Rotor Blade
Power Electronics
CA Adelanto Molded Fiber Glass Comp
Rotor Blade
Nacelle Case
CA Livermore Xantrex Technology, Inc.
Power Electronics

CO Fort Collins REMTECH Inc.
Balance of System
CO Boulder Sustainable Automation L
Balance of System

FL Pensacola GE Wind
Rotor Blade
State City Company Manufactured Parts
FL Lake Mary Mitsubishi Power Systems
Gear Boxes
FL Fort Lauderdale Swantech LLC
Sensors/Data Loggers

GA Oakwood CAB Incorporated
Blade Extender
Hub
Nacelle Frame
Tower Flange and Bolts

IA Harlan Insul-8 Corporation
Balance of System

ID Post Falls Virtual Technologies Ltd
Power Electronics

IL Blue Island G&W Electric Co.
Balance of System
IL North Chicago King Wire Incorporated
Balance of System
IL Rolling Meadows NEG Micon USA Inc
Sensors/Data Loggers
Nacelle Case
Gear Boxes
Complete Wind Turbine
IL Peoria ROHN Industries
Towers
IL Elgin Winergy AG (Flender Serv
Gear Boxes

IN La Porte Casting Service
Hub
Gear Boxes

KY Highland Heights General Cable
Balance of System
KY Owensboro U.S. Wind Turbine
Complete Wind Turbine

LA Shreveport Beaird Industries Inc.
Tower Flange and Bolts
Towers

MA Somerville Second Wind Incorporated
Anemometer
Electronic Controller
Sensors/Data Loggers

MI Cassopolis K & M Machine Fabricati
Blade Extender
Nacelle Frame
Gear Boxes
Hub

MN St. Cloud CWMF Inc
Towers
MN Warren Nordic Fiberglass, Inc.
State City Company Manufactured Parts
Balance of System
MN Porter SMI and Hydraulics
Tower Flange and Bolts
Towers

NC Raleigh American Superconductor
Power Electronics
Balance of System

ND West Fargo DMI Industries
Tower Flange and Bolts
Towers
ND Grand Forks LM Glasfiber ND
Rotor Blade
ND Fargo Wanzek Construction Inc
Balance of System

NE Valley Valmont Industries Inc
Towers
Tower Flange and Bolts

NJ Somerville Abacus Controls inc
Balance of System
NJ Mahwah Hytorc- Division of Unex
Balance of System
NJ Princeton Princeton Power Systems I
Power Electronics

NY Elmire Hilliard Corporation
Brakes
Complete Wind Turbine

NY Tarrytown Hitachi America Ltd.
Generators
Power Electronics
NY Kenoza Lake Innovative Metal Products
Towers
NY Springville Peerless Winsmith Inc
Gear Boxes
NY Floral Park Telecom & Energy Cables
Balance of System

OH Mansfield Afab Tech LLC
Cooling System
Power Electronics
Safety Equipment
OH Canton Canton Drop Forge
Gear Boxes
OH Cleveland Cleveland Gear Company
Gear Boxes
OH Solon ERICO, Inc.
Balance of System
OH Mansfield Michael Byrne Manufactur
Gear Boxes
State City Company Manufactured Parts
OH Toledo Owens Corning
Rotor Blade
OH Cleveland Parker
Brakes
Pitch Drive
Yaw Drive
OH Cincinnati The Cincinnati Gear Comp
Gear Boxes
OH Painesville The Dyson Corporation
Tower Flange and Bolts
Blade Extender

OR Portland Metso Drives
Gear Boxes

PA Erie GE Wind
Gear Boxes
PA Greenville Hodge Foundry, Inc.
Nacelle Frame
Gear Boxes
Blade Extender
PA Hazelton Motors and Controls Intern
Generators
Power Electronics
PA Easton TorcUp
Balance of System
PA Lionville TRI Transmission and Bea
Bearings

RI Warren TPI Composites Inc.
Rotor Blade
Nacelle Case
RI Jamestown Vectorply Corporation
Rotor Blade
Nacelle Case

SC Columbia Pirelli Power Cables & Sys
Balance of System

TN Dyersburg ERMCO
Balance of System
TN Franklin Flash Technology
Balance of System
TN Memphis Thomas & Betts Corp.
Towers
Tower Flange and Bolts

TX Cross Plains Barr Fabrication, LLC
Balance of System
TX Canutillo Bergen Southwest Steel
Towers
Tower Flange and Bolts
TX DeSoto DIAB Inc.
Rotor Blade
State City Company Manufactured Parts
Nacelle Case
TX Arlington Dywidag Systems Internati
Balance of System
TX Pasadena Hyrdatight Sweeney
Balance of System
TX Houston MLS Electrosystem
Pitch Drive
TX Gainesville Molded Fiber Glass Comp
Nacelle Case
Rotor Blade
TX Kingwood Orga Aviation Lighting Inc
Safety Equipment
TX Austin Performance Energy Soluti
Power Electronics
TX Webster SIPCO
Yaw Drive
Pitch Drive
TX Dallas Texas Electronics Inc
Anemometer
TX Dallas Trinity Structural Towers I
Towers
Tower Flange and Bolts
Nacelle Frame

UT Salt Lake City EDO Fiber Science
Rotor Blade

VA Simi Valley Honeywell Obstruction Lig
Balance of System

VT Waitsfield Northern Power Systems
Power Electronics
Generators
Electronic Controller
VT Hinesburg NRG Systems Inc
Anemometer
Sensors/Data Loggers

WA Seattle CC Jensen
Balance of System

WI New Berlin American Superconductor
Towers
WI Waukesha Cooper Power Systems
Balance of System
WI Green Bay Lindquist Machine Corpor
Gear Boxes
WI Menomonee Falls Magnetek Incorporated
Power Electronics

WV St. Marys Innovative Technologies G
Balance of System

[madokie]

15. sounds like the op is full of excrement

shit to some

[Uben]

13. I see ours is listed....

We have a plant here that has been making blades for the tubines for years, and they have been going strong. We also have a wind farm locally that consists of about forty turbines. It has helped keep people employed locally. Fortunately, we also had a casino built nearrby about the same time, 5 yrs or so. That has helped keep our local economy good and has been instrumental in raising starting wages in the area.

[caraher]

19. I know there is some work in the US

But if this kind of initiative were underway 50 years ago it would be *dominated* by US industry.

More broadly, I just see this as an area where this OP by Thom Hartmann applies.

[Hannah Bell]

20. i agree; the us doesn't lead in this area. my point is that contra the op, there *is* wind manufac-

turing here, it's not quite the desert it's made out to be.

i myself doubt their "80% of stimulus dollars went overseas" figure. i figure installation + whatever local materials are used must be at least 1/4 to 1/2 of cost.

[Mari333]

6. knr this is total bullshit

pisses me off beyond belief.

[Brickbat]

14. Which is why I refuse to jump on the "green jobs fuel growth!" bandwagon. No one proves to me how

these jobs can't be outsourced, won't be cyclical (maintenance/construction), and will be sustainable without the heavy protections that politicians are so afraid of.

[FarCenter]

16. Countries like Denmark, Spain, and China have the technological edge

They have been putting up wind generators longer, have more experience, and lead in technology.

[Supply Side Jesus]

17. Vestas

Is opening a plant in Pueblo, Co. Practically already built

[JPZenger]

18. PA wind farm construction jobs

I just met a roomful of union guys who had worked on building wind farms in PA. They were very happy with the pay and benefits.

There is some wind turbine manufacturing at the former US Steel plant in Bucks Co, PA. Unfortunately, it has not been growing as fast as some would like, and some manufacturing has shifted away from that location to accommodate even taller turbines.

[Flaneur]

21. My daughter is working seven day weeks building turbine blades in South Dakota.

And there's a factory full like her there.

[Initech]

22. I am sick, sick, SICK of this shit! Fuck corporations.

[Mari333]

23. k