Even at the center of the oil patch, Texas sustained the third-fastest wind growth rate in the U.S. in 1999, and has undertaken one of the world's largest windpower expansions. Texas aims to develop 2,000 MW of renewable energy by 2009, the overwhelming majority from wind. Fossil costs are not expected to decline much, and natural gas might rise substantially. A technological revolution is spurring wind's growth. Tough fiberglass blades make turbines stronger while advanced electronic controls enable them to use wind more effectively.
Wind faces one significant environmental concern, mortality of migratory birds.
That can be addressed by making sure wind farms are not sited on flyways. The American Wind Energy Association projects at least 48,000 new wind megawatts will be added in the next 10 years, increasing world wind capacity nearly 5-fold. The yield by 2020 would be wind capacity exceeding today's total European electrical generation, 1.7 million people employed in the global wind industry, and 11 billion fewer tons of CO 2 . That amounts to canceling 4 years of current greenhouse gas accumulations. The report says that fully reaching wind's potential will require firm targets for wind growth, elimination of vast subsidies still granted to fossil fuel, and policies to promote clean energy purchases.