U.S. Senate hears wind leaders in meeting

WASHINGTON, June 18 (UPI) -- A new U.S. Senate committee on renewable energy will hold its first hearing.

The American Wind Energy Association will testify at the Energy & Natural Resources Committee hearing focused exclusively on renewable energy and transmission. Other renewable industry, utility and government leaders will discuss ways to invest in new transmissions that will tap the nation's vast renewable energy resources.

"Like any infrastructure, the U.S. transmission grid is aging and needs upgrading to function reliably and to meet future load requirements," said Don Furman, senior vice president at Iberdrola Renewables, president-elect of the AWEA and chairman of AWEA's Transmission Committee.

Transmission limitations are among the biggest constraints on wind and renewable energy's growth, according to a recent U.S. Department of Energy study.

Furman testified that investment in transmission for renewable energy makes economic sense and expanded transmission will increase reliability and reduce costly congestion.

According to the Department of Energy, if wind provided 20 percent of U.S. electricity, greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced by 25 percent, but new transmission is needed.