Clean energy funds in individual US States provide significant support for utility-scale wind power

Federal support for wind power in the United States occurs primarily through the tax code, in the form of accelerated depreciation and a 10-year production tax credit. Support for wind power from individual States within the US, however, is much more diverse, and includes State clean-energy funds, State renewables portfolio standards, and various types of State tax incentives. This article focuses exclusively on State clean-energy funds, which exist in 14 States and in aggregate collect roughly $500 million per year to aid in the deployment of renewable energy. In 8 of these 14 States, a portion of funding has been allocated to utility-scale renewable energy projects. To date, utility-scale wind projects have been the dominant recipient of such funds, with 970 MW online through March 2006. This article reviews the experience of these 8 States in supporting utility-scale wind projects via clean-energy funds. (Author)