Electrical Marketing's LiveWire

The U.S. wind industry broke all previous records by installing nearly 10,000 megawatts (MW) of new generating capacity in 2009 (enough to serve over 2.4 million homes), an increase of 39 percent, but U.S. wind turbine manufacturing declined from the previous year, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) said today in its Q4 report.

The association had anticipated a drop as large at 50 percent in manufacturing, but the boost in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) helped reduce the economy’s impact on turbine production. Yet, the lack of long-term energy policy continues to blunt the sector’s growth, the association said.

Wind was surpassed only by natural gas in new electricity production capacity added, and the two together account for 80 percent of the increased power available. Total U.S. wind-generated power surpassed 35,000 MW in 2009.

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Cooper Industries announced that its Electrical Products Division segment saw revenues for the fourth quarter of 2009 decrease 18.8 percent to $1.1 billion, compared with $1.36 billion in the fourth quarter 2008. Total 2009 revenues for this division decreased 21.6 percent to $4.51 billion, compared to $5.76 billion for last year. Segment operating earnings for 2009 declined to $638.2 million excluding restructuring and asset impairment charges, compared to $930.3 million in the prior year. Details

W.W. Grainger Inc., reported that its 2009 total sales of $6.2 billion were down 9 percent versus 2008. Net earnings of $430 million decreased 9 percent versus $475 million in 2008.
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