[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 44 (Tuesday, April 21, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E607]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     WELCOMING THE AMERICAN WIND ENERGY ASSOCIATION TO BAKERSFIELD

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. WILLIAM M. THOMAS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 21, 1998

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I take pleasure in announcing that the 
American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) is holding its annual 
convention in Bakersfield, California this year and in welcoming wind 
energy experts from all over the globe to this event. Between April 27 
and May 1, wind energy industry representatives and government 
officials from around the world will discuss and view new technologies 
and the burgeoning market for clean electricity generated with wind 
turbine technologies.
  This convention is a special event for my constituents because others 
will notice just how important the Kern County wind energy industry has 
become when conventioneers tour the Tehachapi Pass wind farms. 
Tehachapi hosts one of the largest concentrations of wind generation 
equipment in the United States. The area's 5,000 wind turbines produce 
enough power to light San Francisco. Wind power is big business in this 
small town: some 3,200 jobs in the Tehachapi area are related to wind 
power.
  The industry has a great story to tell everyone. Today, wind power is 
being generated in California, Hawaii, Vermont, Iowa, Texas and 
Minnesota. American companies have gone from buying foreign technology 
to developing and selling their own wind turbines here in the United 
States. There are tremendous international markets developing for U.S. 
wind technology and the industry has dramatically cut the cost of 
producing power with this environmentally-benign power source to as 
little as 3 cents per kilowatt hour. The future of wind energy will be 
explored by convention guests when they come to Bakersfield and I wish 
all who attend success as they chart the trade's future course.

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