Energy is arguably the most important environmental and national security issue we face as a nation today. Global warming and its impacts demand immediate action, and development and use of renewable energy for electricity production, together with energy conservation, are critical components of the solution.

In Pennsylvania, we have significant wind energy development potential. Thanks to the Commonwealth’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS), ever-increasing percentages of renewable energy production must be part of Pennsylvania’s electricity supply. As a result, we will grow economically as the industry expands, but at the same time, we will be curbing our state’s contribution to global warming, as we decrease our dependence on fossil fuels.

In this podcast, PennFuture’s Jan Jarrett speaks with two leaders in the field of wind energy about the development of commercial-scale wind farms in Pennsylvania. In less than a decade, our state has become a trail-blazer in the field of wind energy, and this will continue. Jan talks first with Sam Enfield from PPM Atlantic Renewable, a company that sites and builds large wind farms. He describes the complex challenges in getting projects off the ground. Jan then talks with Community Energy founder and Executive Vice President Brent Alderfer, a pioneer in wind and supplying green energy choices to Pennsylvania’s electricity consumers.

Stay tuned to our podcasts for a subsequent piece by Jan that explores the challenges at hand for siting wind farm developments across the state, including local zoning, developing a process to avoid wildlife impacts, and examining the possibilities of developing renewable energy projects on public lands.

To learn how you can make the switch to clean, renewable, local energy, visit Clean Your Air. For more information on this and other renewable energy issues, visit our Web site or e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org.