The American Wind Energy Assocation (AWEA) reported yesterday that their initial estimate of US wind growth was too slow. It turns out wind capacity grew more than 8.5 GW rather than 8.3 GW, a white-hot 51%! And they released a projection for 2009 of over 5 GW, ~20% growth.
The rapid wind growth of 2008-09 is truly remarkable amidst the backdrop of a difficult recession. And it strengthens my argument that the EIA is underestimating wind power deployment over the next two decades. The report points to 300 GW of wind projects in the current pipeline. Some may not come to fruition. But if just half of them become reality by 2030, it will more than double the EIA’s forecast. And many new proposals will come about in the years ahead as our wind resource becomes better understood and wind turbine technology improves its efficiency and costs.
Wind power in the US will probably pass 1.5% of US electricity in 2009 and then 2% in 2010 as it marches toward our potential to at least equal Denmark’s 20%.
I’ll keep you updated as this clean energy market continues to develop!
Onwards in the Sustainable Energy Transition-
Tags: 2008, 2009, Electricity, renewable energy, US, wind power
This is certainly hopeful. I can’t wait til I see multitudes of wind turbines out in the NC sounds some day!
Yeah man-
I’m hoping we’ll get some NC wind up by the end of 2010 – with siting that respects the local communities and environment.
I’ll do some research soon on what projects are proposed and their timeline for completion.
Onwards!