Is wind energy leading the US into a cleaner future reliant on domestic sources, or is it part of a massive government program for subsidizing expensive new technologies at the cost of established sources of widely-available fuel? Depends on who you listen to.

President Obama came out much more strongly in favor of the wind production tax credit extension this week, and the White House circulated the attached document in support of his position. More domestic content, more US jobs and a growing industry at a marginal cost to the taxpayer – that was their position (and a surprising number of GOP Senators agreed).

Read the full story here.

The issue lies at the heart of the debate emerging from this year’s energy-focused election: What is the government for? Should it support new technologies and help industries grow? Should it stand back and let the market take its course? Wind energy has proved the unlikely subject that finally let the candidates take a stand on their approach to these questions. The debate isn’t over, so in the meantime get the facts from the attached document, the result of serious study at the Department of Energy and the latest in a series of wind technology reports.