Electricity generated in the MAH—including wind energy—is used in a regional grid in the larger mid-Atlantic region. Electricity generated from wind energy in the MAH has the potential to displace pollutant emissions, discharges, wastes, and other adverse environmental effects over the life cycle of other sources of electricity generation in the grid, but that potential is less than 4.5%, and the degree to which its beneficial effects would be felt in the MAH is uncertain.

In the presence of more aggressive renewable-energy-development policies, potential increased energy conservation, and improving technology of wind-energy electricity generation and transmission, the above findings may underestimate wind energy’s contribution to total electricity production. This would affect the committee’s analysis, including projections for development and associated effects (e.g., energy supply, air pollution, development footprint). On the other hand, if technological advances serve to reduce the emissions and other negative effects of other sources of electricity generation, or if fossil-fuel prices fall,⁶ our findings may overestimate wind energy’s contribution to electricity production and air-pollution offsets.