General Electric Company (GE), NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE) & More: 10 Fascinating Facts About Wind Energy

8. Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) recently acquired Makani Power, an energy start-up developing floating wind farms, able to capture high-altitude winds that churn out power for $0.03 per kilowatt hour.

9. General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) currently offers 11 different wind turbines for energy companies to choose from. Starting at 1.5 MW with 120-foot blades, General Electric Company (NYSE:GE)’s arsenal ups its way to a 4.1 MW offshore model with 185-foot blades.

Source: General Electric; 4.1 MW model.

10. Over the next three years, wind power is expected to increase by a whopping 34%. Predictions were pushed 9 percentage points higher after Congress voted in January to extend wind’s renewable-energy production tax credit.

Source: EIA.gov.

Will wind win?
When it comes to wind, there’s a lot that’s still unknown. The future of wind will depend on the length of government tax credits, environmental regulation rigidity, the speed at which technology improves, and wind’s relative competitiveness compared with other traditional and renewable fuels. These fascinating facts don’t tell all, but they provide evidence of an energy source well worth watching.

Fool contributor Justin Loiseau owns shares of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) and Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG). You can follow him on Twitter, @TMFJLo, and on Motley Fool CAPS, @TMFJLo.The Motley Fool recommends Ford and Google and owns shares of Ford, General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), and Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG).

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