Happy 4th of July, from all of us at the American Wind Energy Association! 

On this holiday, we take a moment to appreciate our freedom here in the U.S. – and we wanted to highlight the ways in which our growing supply of wind power is improving our national energy security.

When we use wind to generate electricity, we are:

• Free from water use.  Wind power conserves water supplies, because it uses virtually no water.  When we use wind power, we often displace electricity generation from fossil fuel power plants (often coal- and natural gas-fired facilities), and as a direct result, reduce or avoid consumption of water, which is heavily relied on to cool thermal plants. More here.  
• Free from pollution.  Generating electricity from wind emits zero greenhouse gases and none of the other air pollutants that are harmful to human health, such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and mercury. Those pollutants can cause respiratory problems, cardiovascular disease, and developmental problems, in vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly.  More here.
• Free from importing fuel.  Wind turns the blades of the turbine, and the gears inside the turbine transform the mechanical energy into electrical energy.  Wind power’s fuel is free, and its supply is infinite.  On top of that, it’s grown right here in the USA – wind turbines are often installed on farmers’ and ranchers’ land, which helps them to maintain their livelihoods and attracts millions of dollars of private investment to rural economies.  Take a look at a day in the life of a wind farm and its caretakers here.

Thanks, as always, for your support for American wind power!  We appreciate it!  And we hope that you and your family and friends have a wonderful Independence Day!

Sincerely,
Aaron

Aaron Severn
Director, Grassroots and Legislative Affairs
American Wind Energy Association