The statistics are in for the first half of 2008 and they show that USA, for the first time, generated more wind energy than Germany. This "milestone" wasn’t expected to be reached until late 2009.
Germany still has more wind turbines than USA and is able to generate 22,000 - 23,000 megawatts of power compared to USA’s capacity of about 18,000 megawatts.
But Randall Swisher, the executive director of the American Wind Energy Association, said that “the difference is that because the winds are so much stronger here in the U.S. we are actually providing more wind-generated electricity than Germany.†He also said that the US "wind energy capacity is growing faster than anyplace else."
This is great news but USA is still far behind everyone else in terms of green renewable energy, especially wind energy.
For example in Germany wind power accounts for 7% of their total energy. And the even smaller country Denmark gets 20% of its energy from wind power. USA is awfully behind with only 1.2%.
"We need to back away from fossil fuel and embrace renewable energy. The survival of the world depends on it," said Randall Swisher.
USA has now become the leading country in wind energy production, another example that Al Gore's major renewable energy challenge for USA is possible.
Both presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain have been positive about Al Gore’s challenge.
Barack Obama said that he "strongly agree with Vice President Gore that we cannot drill our way to energy independence, but must fast-track investments in renewable sources of energy like solar power, wind power and advanced biofuels."
John McCain said that "if the Vice President says it's doable, I believe it's doable."
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