Due in great part to its low cost and high availability, wind energy has emerged as the fastest-growing energy source during the last decade, with global sales of wind turbines expected to reach more than $10 billion by 2008. Industry professionals assert that the growth of wind energy has been driven by a demand for new forms of environmentally attractive energy, i.e., a growing public desire for "green energy" sources, along with the technology to make such energy cost-efficient to utilize. One initiative introduced by the Department of Energy (DOE) that is arguably leading the way for the continued usage of wind energy is called "Wind Powering America." This initiative is expected to increase the federal use of wind energy to 5 percent by 2010, and ultimately, generate at least 5 percent of the nation's electricity from wind by 2020. "Wind Powering America" is forecasted to provide $60 billion in capital investment and create 80,000 jobs over the next 20 years.
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