AWEA Launches Visual Petition Supporting RES on Global Wind Day

	FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  June 10, 2009                                               Contacts: Shawna Seldon (212) 255-7541     Show Your Support for Wind Energy on Global Wind Day, June 15   Join AWEA’s Visual Petition, Call for a National Renewable Electricity Standard, Organize or Attend a #GWind09 Tweet-Up Near You     Washington, D.C. – On Monday, June 15, the first-ever Global Wind Day will be celebrated in 25 countries.  Organized by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), Global Wind Day promotes awareness of wind energy worldwide, inviting the public to celebrate wind power as a near-term solution to global climate change and a driver for economic growth in local communities.    “In the United States, Global Wind Day comes at a time when the nation is surging forward in wind and renewable energy development,” said AWEA CEO Denise Bode,“but we risk losing this momentum and tens of thousands of jobs if Congress does not adopt a strong national renewable energy standard, or RES.  America could lose ground to China and Europe where strong renewable energy policy commitments are driving investment in manufacturing and development.  It’s time for a national RES here in the U.S.  We need to seize this historic opportunity to create jobs, build up our renewable energy industry, and fight climate change.”   Wind energy supporters can join AWEA’s call for an RES through a number of events and activities on Global Wind Day, including: • Asking representatives in Congress to support a STRONG national renewable electricity standard. Right now in the U.S., Congress is voting on a national RES that could bring more wind and renewable energy to the electricity grid. But significant challenges threaten this critical policy and many members of Congress are still undecided about their votes. Supporters can ask their representatives in Congress to support a strong RES through www.powerofwind.com or www.globalwinddayusa.com.  • Submitting a photo or comment to AWEA’s visual petition, Why Wind Matters to Me!  AWEA is organizing a visual petition at www.globalwinddayusa.com.  Wind energy supporters can submit a photo or a comment that shows how wind energy is making a difference today. These photos will be presented to members of Congress to highlight their constituency’s support of wind power.  Why Wind Matters to Me! photo categories include: My Wind Energy Job, I Love Wind Technology, Faces of Wind, My Wind Turbine, and Scenic.   • Attending or organizing a #GWind09 Tweet-Up near you: AWEA is hosting Global Wind Day Tweet-Ups (Twitter tag: #GWind09) in Washington, D.C. and New York City on June 15.  For details, visit www.twitter.com/awea or host your own Tweet-Up in your home town! Also on Global Wind Day, the Western Governors’ Association will feature U.S. Secretary of Energy Stephen Chu, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chair Jon Wellinghoff, and U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar in a panel discussion about tapping the nation’s vast renewable energy resources at its annual meeting in Park City, Utah.  For more information, visit http://www.westgov.org/wga/meetings/am2009/index.htm.  ###   AWEA is the national trade association of America’s wind industry, with more than 2,000 member companies, including global leaders in wind power and energy development, wind turbine manufacturing, component and service suppliers, and the world’s largest wind power trade show. AWEA is the voice of wind energy in the U.S., promoting renewable energy to power a cleaner, stronger America.  Look up information on wind energy at the AWEA Web site. Find insight on industry issues at AWEA’s blog Into the Wind. Join AWEA on Facebook. Follow AWEA on Twitter
______________________________ AMERICAN WIND ENERGY ASSOCIATION 1501 M Street NW, 12th Floor Washington, DC 20005 Phone: (202) 383-2500 Fax: (202) 383-2505 Email: windmail@awea.org Web: www.awea.org Note: this email message is distributed by the American Wind Energy Association.