News and Events

During the week of May 22, 2011, Elissa Hansen, APEX Director of Business Development, represented the region at the American Wind Energy Association's 2011 WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition. This event, designed to provide a venue for the wind industry to network, do business and solve problems, has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing trade shows in the U.S. with 1,400 exhibiting companies and thousands of qualified wind energy professionals in attendance.

This event provided ample opportunity for APEX to connect with new and existing business attraction prospects, in an ongoing effort to market the region to manufacturers of large-scale wind energy equipment. In addition to several new contacts established at the conference, Hansen met privately with representatives from several companies APEX has communicated with in the past, including Fuhrländer, the German manufacturer that has considered production facilities in Minnesota and Montana.

Regardless of who was involved, many of the conversations at the 2011 WINDPOWER event revolved around the same topic: Stalled growth and an uncertain future for the U.S. wind energy industry. Hansen's conference report showed clear evidence that until certain challenges are addressed, a lack of growth in North American wind farm development will continue to push the establishment of new production facilities overseas.

Challenges for Wind Energy Industry Growth, Regionally and Nationwide
• Inconsistent or nonexistent Federal energy policies
• Declining natural gas prices
• Limited transmission infrastructure  
• Decrease in purchase power agreements (PPAs)
• Potential for legislation to repeal state-level renewable energy portfolio standards
• Expiration of attractive financing or incentive opportunities (i.e. production tax credits
  and the MN 1603 Grant Program)
• Excess capacity within most major nacelle or blade manufacturing plants

What would move projects forward and increase demand?
• Increased economic activity, resulting in increased demand for power and an
  increase in PPAs
• Congressional action at the Federal level, on par with similar actions worldwide
• State-level legislation to increase RPS or otherwise encourage wind energy adoption
• Attractive and stable financing programs, such as: 
    - Feed In Tariffs (FITS are responsible for 45% of worldwide wind deployments
      through 2009; currently unavailable in Minnesota) 
    - Production Tax and Renewable Energy Credit Programs 
    - MN 1603 Grant Program extension

For more information on APEX's Wind Energy Manufacturing strategy or the 2011 AWEA WINDPOWER event, please contact Elissa Hansen at: (218) 740-3667