Migratory Birds Are Clapping Their Wings

Absolutely nothing about the Bakken. 

If you came here for the Bakken, scroll down. 

Link here to the Des Moines Register.

Siemens has notified Fort Madison that it will lay off 407 of the 660 workers at the blade manufacturing plant that is one of the five largest employers in the city.

Siemens said the layoff is in response to uncertainties surrounding the wind industry with the pending expiration of the 2.2 cents per kilowatt hour production tax credit Dec. 31. 

No action is expected by congress until after the November election. Siemens spokesperson Melanie Forbrick says 407 employees will be laid off at the Fort Madison plant. A total of 220 will remain at the plant, which has 600,000 square feet. 

The layoff will be the second in Iowa this year. Clipper Windpower in Cedar Rapids reduced its workforce there by 76 workers of its 300 employees beginning on Aug. 27.

A big "thank you" to a reader for sending me this link. I don't generally read the Des Moines Register.

This story took me by complete surprise. I just posted a feel-good story not too long ago that renewables (solar and wind) were beating the heck out of coal, the renewables being such a great deal, saving everyone money, etc., etc. Here it is:

September 1, 2012: Germany sets new solar record. It's the details that are scary. 

It was a solar story, but close enough. Wind is even cheaper than solar, I'm told. So, there you have it. Just when solar and wind seemed to be on a roll, Congress goes and messes it up, letting subsidies and grants and whatever expire. We'll have to see if these new numbers are reflected in next week's job watch. Where's the chair on this one? This isn't rocket science.

"They" say the Keystone XL pipeline would have hired upwards of 20,000. Just saying.

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Speaking of "solar," have you seen the migratory birds' new banners on renewables? "Kick the 'el" out of solar."  And, "Wind beneath our wings, not turbines in our flight paths."