Page 79

nature of the US market, as it was subjected to short-term policy frameworks which left policy gaps every few years and hampered the growth of the industry.So it was very welcome news, and a big surprise to all except for those directly involved, when the Congress passed and the President signed into law a long-term extension and phase out of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) which has been the main federal policy term support for wind energy in the US. So the US wind industry now embarks on its longest-ever period of policy stability, and the potential implications of this go far beyond the US market. Five years from now the US wind industry will be a very different and much stronger animal, we believe.So while we all have a lot of work to do, and much could go wrong, I am more encouraged by the overall trends than I have been in many years, perhaps ever. But we have lost precious time, and we have to move quickly and unambiguously in the right direction if we are to reach our goals. For the second year in a row, the IEA has published an analysis of energy-related CO2 emissions which says that emissions were basically flat in 2015, as they were in 2014, the first time that this has happened in a period of global economic growth. This is welcome news indeed, but now we have to get the numbers going down, and rapidly.We do not need technological miracles to achieve our goals, although they would certainly help. We have proven that we have the affordable, reliable, competitive technology to reach our goals. Now we need political miracles in energy markets around the world. That may be a bit tougher. ■“ WIND POWER HAD YET ANOTHER RECORD-BREAKING YEAR IN 2015”ABOUT THE AUTHORSteve Sawyer joined the Global Wind Energy Council as its first Secretary General in April 2007. The Global Wind Energy Council represents the major wind energy associations (China, India, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, Canada, USA, Europe, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Korea, South Africa and Turkey) as well as the major companies involved in the global wind industry.Mr Sawyer has worked in the energy and environment field since 1978, with a particular focus on climate change and renewable energy since 1988. He spent many years working for Greenpeace International, representing the organization at intergovernmental and industry fora, primarily on energy and climate issues. At GWEC he is focused on working with intergovernmental organizations such as the UNFCCC, IPCC, IRENA, IEA, IFC and ADB to ensure that wind power takes its rightful place in the energy options for the future; and with opening up new markets for the industry in Latin America, Africa and Asia.Mr Sawyer is also a founding member of both the REN21 Renewable Energy Policy Network and the IEA’s Renewable Industry Advisory Board. He advised the Chinese government on the formulation of its renewable energy legislation, as well as providing expert reviewing for the IPCC’s Working Group III. Mr Sawyer grew up in rural New Hampshire and holds a BA in Philosophy from Haverford College. He has lived in Amsterdam Pictured: Steve Sawyersince 1989. Photo Credit: © Creative Commons