Wind energy industry wants longer tax credit

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana wind energy industry representatives are relieved by Congress' one-year extension of a tax credit but say long-term action is needed.

The legislation averting the fiscal cliff extended a 2.2 cent-per-kilowatt wind energy production tax credit for projects that begin construction this year.

Laura Ann Arnold, president of renewable energy promoter Indiana Distributed Energy Advocates, says the industry was hoping for more. She says a one-year-extension "is really a Band-Aid. You can't tale a major industry and do this stop-start, stop-start thing."

She and others say uncertainty over the future of the tax credit is stalling projects like the Wildcat wind farm about 40 miles north of Indianapolis. It raced to build 125 turbines by the end of 2012 and has plans for 200 more.