Wind alone provides just 0.1 percent of the region's power, said Jeff King, senior resource analyst at the Northwest Power Planning Council. The BPA's plans to purchase wind power are expected to spur the industry. There is also concern about adding another weather-dependent source to the region's power supply. The hydro system pouts for lack of storms, and so do wind farms. But so far, benefits of the buy appear to outweigh those concerns, Darr said.
Wind provides environmental advantages over other forms of generation.
Wind power creates no pollution, has no fuel cost and is infinitely renewable. With its gusty Columbia River Gorge and windswept open farm country, the Northwest is a prime location for wind farms. Washington has tens of thousands of megawatts of wind-power potential, easily enough to generate power to supply 3 million homes. Montana alone is windy enough to supply 15 percent of the entire country's electricity demand. The Great Plains states could blow away more than their entire population's electricity demand, easily, with wind power.