‘Wind PTC Action Hub': Time to End Energy Cronyism

Congress enacted the Wind Production Tax Credit (PTC) in 1992 as a temporary measure for an “infant” industry. Decades and nine extensions later, it is time to eliminate the PTC.

Subsidized wind power increases electricity costs, harms taxpayers, and destabilizes the electric grid. It is most beneficial to wealthy wind developers who are able to reduce their tax rate at the expense of the rest of the taxpayers and ratepayers. It is past time to end corporate welfare for the mature, and in their own words, competitive, wind industry.

Obama’s PTC Dependence

President Obama and the EPA aggressive regulation of existing power plants amounts to a federal takeover of the electricity system. One of the goals of this regulation is to shift electricity from affordable and dependable sources like coal toward expensive and unreliable sources like wind.

Without the Wind PTC, mandating industrial wind power is a much more difficult task. Extending the Wind PTC helps enable this federal takeover by Obama’s EPA. It’s time to #EndWindWelfare and let wind producers stand on their own merit. In short, a vote for the PTC is a vote for the President’s federal energy takeover. 

To this end, the American Energy Alliance has launched a Wind PTC Action Hub. The press release from yesterday follows:

WASHINGTON — Today, the American Energy Alliance launched www.EndWindWelfare.org—a resource and activist hub aimed at eliminating the wind Production Tax Credit (PTC). With this new tool, which includes a legislative tracker and an action center, AEA will encourage lawmakers to support efforts to end this taxpayer-funded handout. One feature of the hub is a video illustrating how the PTC is tied to President Obama’s new carbon dioxide regulation.

The goal of this regulation is to shift electricity generation from affordable and dependable sources like coal toward expensive and unreliable sources like wind. Obama’s plan will unavoidably raise electricity rates—hurting poor and middle class families the most. But without the PTC, mandating industrial wind power is a much more difficult task, as wind power needs handouts to survive. Thus, Congress can take meaningful action against the Obama’s administration’s anti-energy agenda by eliminating the PTC. Watch the video below:

The hub’s legislative tracker shows which representatives have publicly taken a stand against the PTC, allowing Americans to thank their elected leaders for opposing this handout, or hold them accountable for supporting wind welfare. Our action center will also serve as a resource for policymakers and activists by providing recent reports, blog posts and ongoing advocacy efforts on the PTC.