37,000 Wind Industry Layoffs Look Like This…

 
Here’s a chart that voters in the Midwest probably aren’t going to like:

This graphic, put together by the wind industry, illustrates how an expiration of the production tax credit may impact employment in the U.S.

Notice the spike in activity before the drop-off. That’s due to the rush of development we’re seeing currently in the lead up to the lapse of the credit. But even if the credit is extended at the end of the year, it looks like 2013 will be a poor year for installations. Developers need a lead-time of about 18 months. So, many of them have put projects on hold without any clarity on if the credit will be extended. That’s why we’re already seeing manufacturers lay people off.

This article was originally published on Climate Progress. It has been reposted with full permission.