Although American Electric Power is investing in wind generation in Texas and buys and sells biomass energy to customers in West Virginia, the company hasn't gone far down the solar energy path. AEP is developing the 130-megawatt Trent Mesa wind power project in West Texas. The company expects the project's 87 wind turbines to generate enough electricity to supply about 30,000 homes. That's still a drop in the bucket compared to the company's 4.8 million customers in 11 states and total generating capacity of 38,000 megawatts. Telephone customers, for example, today have options like caller ID and caller conferencing because they sell in the marketplace.
Consumers are willing to pay more because it brings some value to their life.
That's different than implementing an agenda because someone says we should do this. In addition, only modest wind resources exist in Indiana and throughout most of AEP's service territory, the company says, citing government wind maps. Still, Hemlepp thinks the new report's goals for renewable energy in the Midwest are achievable.