This notice provides two methods that a taxpayer may use to establish that construction of a qualified facility has begun. A taxpayer may establish the beginning of construction by starting physical work of a significant nature as described in section 4. Alternatively, a taxpayer may establish the beginning of construction by meeting the safe harbor provided in section 5 (Safe Harbor). Although a taxpayer may satisfy both methods, a taxpayer need only satisfy one method to establish that construction of a facility has begun for the purpose of qualifying for the PTC or ITC.

Economist Robert Michaels PhD presented this important testimony at a hearing before the Oversight Subcommittee and Energy Subcommittee of the Committee on Space, Science, and Technology. Dr. Michaels addresses the inefficiencies of wind energy and high costs of the technology. The purpose of his testimony is provided below. To access the full testimony, click on the link(s) at the bottom of this page.

The U.S. House Subcommittee on Oversight and Subcommittee on Energy conducted an informative hearing on wind energy. The charter of the hearing, the witnesses who appeared and links to their testimony as well as detailed background information on the purpose of the hearing were released in this document prepared by staffers for the Committee.

The Wildlife Society's March Bulletin included this impacting paper by Dr. Shawn Smallwood who compares post-construction bird and bat fatality assessments conducted across the United States. He estimates 888,000 bat and 573,000 bird fatalities/year (including 83,000 raptor fatalities) at 51,630 megawatt (MW) of installed wind-energy capacity in the United States in 2012. As wind energy continues to expand, there is urgent need to improve fatality monitoring methods and address the levels of mortality.

This important report prepared by the United States Government Accountability Office examines federal wind-related initiatives. The GAO identified 82 wind-related initiatives that were fragmented across agencies, most had overlapping characteristics, and several that financed deployment of wind facilities provided duplicative financial support. The 82 initiatives were fragmented because they were implemented across nine agencies, and 68 overlapped with at least one other initiative due to shared characteristics. A summary of the report is provided below. The full report can be accessed by clicking on the links below.

This unanimous decision by the Nevada Supreme Court could have impacts across the U.S. The Court lays out a clear and convincing explanation for why a personal wind turbine in a residential subdivision should be prohibited. In the order, Justice Jim Hardesty covers noise, property value impacts and the effect on aesthetics including shadow flicker. Excerpts of the order are provided below. The full order can be accessed at the below links.

This report prepared by the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee examines how American taxpayers have paid out nearly $4 billion to foreign-owned companies as part of a stimulus program that pays cash grants to green-energy firms. Republicans on the Committee charged that the Treasury Department-administered program has "failed" in its goal of putting Americans to work.

This important ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit upheld the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) finding that offshore wind is not a reasonable alternative for baseload generation produced by nuclear power plants. The NRC further concluded that the intermittent nature of wind power means that it cannot be considered baseload without effective energy storage mechanisms, and that storage technology is “not sufficiently demonstrated at this time.”

Nearly 6,500 citizens from 25 participating states united in signing this letter urging Congress to oppose any extension of the wind energy production tax credit (“PTC”) due to expire at the end of 2012. More than 200 U.S. Senators and Members of Congress received the letter. The body of the letter is provided below. The full letter, without signatures included, can be accessed by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.

This important document examines the real cost of wind power after factoring in accomodations for wind's variable nature and the need to site projects long distances from load.