Forbes ?30 Under 30? recognizes four wind energy leaders

When Forbes Magazine asked readers and energy industry experts the questions, "Who is reinventing the world? Who should you hire today? Who will you be working for in 20 years? Who, in short, under the age of 30, matters?" The answer for the energy industry was clear and included four of wind energy’s brightest stars.

The Forbes "30 Under 30" list for the energy industry published this week includes:

– David Berry, Co-founder and Vice President of Strategy and Finance at Clean Line Energy Partners, Houston, TX

– Jeff Bishop, Senior Manager, Government and Regulatory Affairs, EDP Renewables, Houston, TX

– Elizabeth Salerno, Chief Economist and Director of Data and Analysis at the American Wind Energy Association, Washington, DC

– Sean Tufts, Development Manager, RES Americas, Broomfield, CO

"I am so proud that Forbes’ readers and energy experts recognize the awesome accomplishments and contributions of Liz, Jeff, David and Sean," said American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) CEO Denise Bode. "Wind power is a great American success story, providing great jobs and opportunities to young people all across the country."

A recent study found that with stable tax policy the wind turbines industry can grow to almost 100,000 American jobs in the next four years, including growing the wind manufacturing sector by one third to 46,000 American manufacturing jobs. This will keep the wind farm sector on track toward supporting the 500,000 jobs by 2030 projected in a report by the U.S. Department of Energy during the George W. Bush administration.

The report completed by Navigant also found that if Congress allows the Production Tax Credit (PTC)for wind to expire, jobs in the wind industry will be cut in half, meaning a loss of 37,000 American jobs and a one third cut to American wind manufacturing jobs, while private investment in the industry would drop by nearly two thirds. The report can be found here.

Wind energy’s key federal tax incentive, the PTC, is set to expire at the end of 2012. Bipartisan legislation recently introduced by Representatives Dave Reichert (R, WA-08) and Earl Blumenauer (D, OR-03) seeks to grant a four-year extension to the PTC for wind energy (H.R. 3307, the "American Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit Extension Act"). This legislation has garnered the support of 36 cosponsors including 11 Republicans.

Forbes reporters received thousands of nominations before culling the list to the 360 professionals listed in the "30 Under 30" Energy list and 11 other sector specific lists.

The complete "30 Under 30" list will also be included in the January 16th issue of Forbes Magazine.

www.awea.org