But conditions at Augusta National are notoriously tricky in perfect weather, and the swirling, gustywind blowing Friday only made them more difficult.
Regulators and utility executives at the national meeting in Washington also point to the billions of dollars needed for the transmission lines to deliver that wind power from the gusty plains to urban centers.
Wind farms are proposed in numerous gusty zones from Maine to North Carolina, while tides strong enough to produce power are confined to Maine and Alaska.