WindTV: Iowa company epitomizes wind power supply chain at work for economy

 WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 24, 2011)–WindTV, the American Wind Energy Association’s (AWEA) latest vehicle to highlight how wind power works for America, returns today with a new edition spotlighting one example of how Iowa is reaping the economic benefits of instituting sound renewable energy policy.

WindTV is a new showcase of video profiles of Americans whose lives have been positively impacted by the wind energy industry. The site is located at www.awea.org/windtv and will feature a different video profile each week.

The latest episode features Iowa company United Equipment Accessories, which produces electrical slip rings, one of the 8,000 components that make up a wind turbine. (At www.awea.org/windtv, see “Wind energy is paving the way for all sorts of jobs in Iowa.”)

“Clean, affordable wind energy is powering Iowa’s economy with $300 million invested in manufacturing facilities alone,” said AWEA CEO Denise Bode. “As this video shows, wind works in Iowa and all across the U.S.”

Iowa implemented the nation’s first renewable energy target and is now reaping the economic benefits. Wind power now provides 20 percent of the state’s electricity (the most of any state), and the wind industry has pumped $5 billion into Iowa’s economy, including more than $11 million a year to Iowa family farmers and ranchers. Iowa is home to more than 200 wind-related businesses operating in 56 counties.

Explains one employee in the video, “We have design engineers, a sales team…. We’ve got people that are out in the field doing the hands-on installation, and then, of course, manufacturing at the plant. So it’s definitely creating jobs when you have these parts going into wind turbines.”

And what does an electrical slip ring do, exactly? Find out on WindTV.