North Carolina may not be gathering much wind power, but the surging demand for renewable energy is benefiting the state.

P-P-G Industries near Shelby cut hundreds of jobs while competing with China to make fiberglass several years ago. Now the company is spending 20 million dollars over three years to manufacture the product for windmill blades.

The American Wind Energy Association says factories in the Carolinas are perfect for making windmill tools.

Greg McInnis with P-P-G says demand for the blade material is growing by 30 percent each year.

The North Carolina Senate passed a bill last week that would require 12-point-five percent of power come from renewable energy. But state law forbids wind turbines at mountain ridgelines, where they might operate most effectively.