American Wind Energy Association Statement on H.R. 2

Washington D.C. – June 22, 2020 – The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) today issued the following statement after House leadership introduced H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act.

“AWEA applauds House leadership for recognizing the key role that renewable energy plays in American infrastructure development, especially as our economy strives to recover from the impacts of COVID-19. Federal credits for renewable energy sources have been a cornerstone of the immense economic and environmental benefits that wind, solar, and other clean technologies have delivered to the U.S. since they were enacted. This legislation preserves successful credits that have proven their effectiveness and puts the wind industry a step closer to tax policy parity with other energy sources. Providing direct payment for the credits is especially crucial as the wind industry works to withstand the enormous challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Modernizing the electric grid is crucial to making the entire power system more reliable and affordable, so we appreciate the legislation’s direction to FERC to improve the interregional transmission planning process. The offshore wind industry is at a critical juncture, with developers on the brink of unlocking an entirely new industry for the U.S. Offshore wind also faces additional challenges from COVID-19 and we would like to see longer-term support for its development, similar to the ITC extension through 2026 as prescribed in HR 4887 by Rep. Pascrell (D-NJ).” – Tom Kiernan, AWEA CEO.