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BROKEN BOW - Nebraskans could play a major role in reaching the goal of having 20 percent of the United States' electricity supply come from wind power by 2030.

That was one of the messages from American Wind Energy Association officials speaking to about 100 people at a recent conference in Broken Bow, which is one of the communities Nebraska Public Power District has identified as a possible site for a privately developed wind farm.

"Nationwide, wind energy has grown over 40 percent each of the last four years," said Hans Detweiler, the AWEA's director of state policy. "Forty-two percent of new construction of new power plants in the U.S. in 2008 was for wind energy."

There are similar figures worldwide because of the need for new, clean and affordable methods to generate electricity.

But there's a long way to go to meet the 2030 U.S. goals. The AWEA officials said current wind farms are expected to generate more than 1.5 percent of the national electricity supply in 2009.

A U.S. Department of Energy report says that in the decade preceding 2030, the wind industry could support about 500,000 U.S. jobs, including direct employment, associated jobs and jobs through economic expansion based on local spending.

"Wind energy creates jobs," said Henry Tilghman, a senior manager for Vestas, a Danish maker of wind turbines. The company's American headquarters are in Portland, Ore.

Tilghman said wind turbines have a production lifespan of about 20 years. Over that time, landowners could expect lease payments of up to $120,000 for each turbine installed on their property.

Wind energy brings taxes and other revenues to rural communities, and that money provides revenues for such services as schools and roads. The AWEA officials said another plus is increased economic activity, especially during wind farm construction when workers spend money locally.

AWEA estimates that each large wind turbine that goes online generates more than $2 million in economic activity.

Other benefits, according to AWEA, are fewer greenhouse gas emissions, reduced global warming and air pollution, and less demand for natural gas for electricity production. Unlike conventional power generation methods, wind requires no mining or drilling, produces no waste and doesn't consume water, which benefits agriculture and municipal water users.

Also, a diverse power supply would reduce electricity and natural gas bills. "Using more wind energy will save natural gas, thus saving consumers money," Detweiler said. "More supply (equals) lower price."

AWEA representatives said several key policy actions can help the United States fully realize the potential of wind energy.

The most urgent needs are constructing transmission lines to windy rural areas, increasing the renewable electricity standard to 25 percent and climate change legislation that provides incentives for renewable energy production.

"I think there's a strong consensus that Nebraska wants to move forward," Detweiler said.

Enhancing transmission capability is critical because the state's wind resources regions don't have a lot of consumption. So, the need is to move the wind-generated electricity to where the energy is needed, including major U.S. cities, Detweiler said.

Tilghman said there's a need for a rational way to plan, locate and pay for transmission infrastructure.

"It is hard to move power great distances," Detweiler said. Transmission systems nationwide haven't kept up with energy use. He believes there would be a rapid return on investment for the high costs of upgrading transmission systems.

Tilghman said a strong renewable energy standard that designates a certain amount of renewable energy production by a certain date is necessary to drive the industry forward. However, not all states have standards now, and the ones in place aren't uniform, he said.

It will take a national standard to create the long-term stable market and incentives needed to spur an upgrade and expansion of the transmission infrastructure, Tilghman said, which is needed for proposed wind energy projects to move ahead.

"Nebraska has a global-class resource but does need to clean up some state laws to realize its potential," Detweiler said. He contends that for the state to capitalize on wind energy, the Legislature must protect projects that intend to sell energy to out-of-state utilities.

Detweiler said generation problems because of the variability of wind aren't insurmountable and have been addressed in other parts of the world that rely heavily on wind energy. "Wind is variable and not always there," he said. "Wind supplies energy when it is available and other resources are used when wind is not available."

Detweiler said that in the years before a transmission grid is built in Nebraska, it's important for community colleges to train people to operate and maintain wind energy facilities.

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lori.potter@kearneyhub.com