New ‘Wind Made’ Consumer Label Introduced by Wind Energy Advocates

Wind power advocates this week introduced a consumer label to identify companies and products made with wind energy, the latest initiative aimed at targeting consumers interested in sustainable products. The “WindMade” label will be administered by a nonprofit foundation that will require certification from participating companies. The initiative is backed by a coalition of companies and conservation groups, including the Global Wind Energy Council, the LEGO Group, turbine manufacturer Vestas Wind Systems, and Bloomberg. “Governments are dragging their feet, but consumers want to see change now,” said Steve Sawyer, secretary general of the Global Wind Energy Council and interim CEO of WindMade. “The private sector needs to step up to provide the solutions we need to respond to the global energy and climate crises.” After a record year in 2008, the wind energy industry has slumped over the last two years in the face of a global economic recession and a surge of natural gas production in the United States.