The on-again, off-again nature of U.S. energy tax incentives and the uncertainty over federal spending on research and innovative technology presents a major challenge to the wind energy industry and other alternative energy industries, said Sen. Jeff Bingaman, speaking at the opening session of the Sandia National Laboratories Wind Turbine Blade Workshop.

Market forces are working against alternative energy, according to the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, who is retiring at the end of the year, and it has been difficult getting consensus in Washington.