Navigant’s Managing Director and Energy Practice Area Leader, Bill Dickenson, compares the compromise between the Olympics regulations on “Fast Suits” to the much debated wind industry PTC.
Like the Olympic swimmers that must work tireless to compete – and cannot rely solely on external factors – in order to win, the wind industry must do the same. Dedicated efforts by Olympic swimmers have resulted in World and Olympic records that are better than some of the “fast suit” resulting race times. Thus, contrary to what we have previously thought possible, today’s Olympic swimmers have surpassed their artificially enhanced predecessors of the past.
How does that apply to the wind industry? It could be said that the PTC and “fast suits” have something in common: If everyone else has a fast suit and you do not, then you are at a disadvantage. And, if the wind industry doesn’t have the same opportunities and benefits as other energy technologies have had to mature, then it too will always be at a disadvantage.
Click here to read full article.