Ironically, the fate of wind has quite a bit to do with the fate
of petroleum. That’s why the estimated 100,000 visitors among
the 1,400 exhibitors here have one eye on all the innovation in
wind power, and the other on what is happening both in the Gulf
of Mexico, where the oil spill is spreading, and in Washington,
D.C. "The oil disaster highlights the difficulty of relying on
fossil fuels as a society," said Ray Wood, managing director for
power and renewables at Credit Suisse . "So, if anything, it
will raise the public consciousness about what is our addiction
to oil, what is our addiction to fossil fuel. "It should raise
public awareness for renewable energy. It should help the
federal government to support legislation to allow a phasing in
of renewables in a more aggressive timeline." It turns out, that
might be the most idealistic angle among the thousands attending
the conference. Yes, a huge oil spill makes wind power seem
cleaner and safer, but to be truly viable, wind power needs what
is called a