Dive Brief:

• The installation of wind energy generating capacity has slowed significantly this year, with only 70 megawatts of turbines connected to the grid in the first three quarters of this year. There are now 60,078 megawatts of wind capacity in the U.S.
• A report by the American Wind Energy Association found that the chief reason for the stagnant growth in 2013 is uncertainty over the federal production tax credit, which applies to projects that are under construction by the end of 2013.

Dive Insight: 

While the uncertainty about the production tax credit may be a factor in lower wind installations, the low price of natural gas coupled with some real progress in building enough capacity to meet state renewable portfolio standards also played a role.