Barely noticed by the Bush administration, evidence is mounting that large-scale development of wind energy is becoming much more feasible and economical. Once dismissed as the darling fringe technology of environmentalists, wind is becoming a commercially viable, middle-of-the-road power source that could be a significant building block of the nation's energy supply. In the hurly-burly of the current energy situation and the uncertainties of deregulation, no contribution should be overlooked. But wind energy needs and deserves federal support.
TAX CREDIT. At the very least, the White House should support the extension of the wind-energy production tax credit, scheduled to expire at the end of this year. The credit reduces taxes on wind-energy revenues by 1.7¢ per kwh for the first 10 years of a windmill's operations.