"We need to drive demand in a stable, predictable way," Vic Abate, Vice President for Renewables, GE Energy, the largest supplier of wind turbines in the US market said at a AWEA press conference in Washington. "For the jobs to grow the Renewable Electricity Standard is critical."

"There are three main points to make about the RES: jobs, jobs, and jobs," added John W. Grabner, President, Cardinal Fastener & Specialty Company Inc. The company, based in Cleveland, Ohio, makes steel bolts used in construction of wind turbines for many of the wind turbine manufacturers active in the USA.

Denise Bode, CEO, AWEA, said: "We have the potential for explosive growth if we can get long term support. A national RES will result not just in new installations, but also in new manufacturing. The RES is the most important buy-American policy we can do."

Bringing wind investment back to the USA

"As a global power company, we balance and make decisions about where to invest years in advance," said Ned Hall, Executive Vice President, AES Wind Generation, based in Arlington, Virginia. "So I am here to call on Congress to pass a national Renewable Electricity Standard, to create long-term [wind] demand in the US"

"Manufacturers are chomping at the bit to come to the US and it would be a tragedy if this investment were to stop," said Donald Furman, Senior Vice President, Iberdrola Renewables, based in Portland, Oregon, and President of the Board of AWEA. "The RES is the missing link."