Extending the US Lead in Wind

The US now has a total wind power capacity of 28.2 GW, enough to provide ~2% of our electricity demand. The growth widens our lead over Germany as the world’s top wind power producer. Another 3.4 GW are under construction for later in the year, so it looks likely 2009 will witness at least the second largest growth after 2008′s record 8.5 GW.

TX Advances and Smaller States Emerge

Texas installed the most new wind, increasing its huge cumulative total to almost 8 GW (more than double 2nd place Iowa). As I wrote over the last several weeks, New York and Kansas joined the 1 GW club as aggregate deployers #7 and #8, with Illinois poised to join this quarter.

The quickest percentage growth was Indiana’s 75% to .531 GW, Maine’s 55% to .104 GW, Nebraska’s 53% to .153 GW, Idaho’s 49% to .147 GW, and New York’s 34% to 1.261 GW.

Top Wind States by Percentage Shift

The states with the top wind share capability in their electricity mix shuffled a bit as their percentages grew [these data was revised Thursday, April 30th to be conservative].

1. Iowa (over 18% of its electricity from wind)
2. North Dakota (just below 18%)
3. Wyoming (~15%)
4. Oregon (~8%, up from #6)
5. Minnesota (~7.5%, down from #4)
6. Kansas (~7%, up from #9)
7. South Dakota & New Mexico (~6.5%, up from # 11 & down from #5)

9.   Texas (just under 6.5%, down from #8)

10. Colorado (~6%, down from #7)

The national average was pulled up to ~1.8% by my calculations. We’ll see if that pans out in the EIA electricity reports during the months ahead.

The percentage top 10 will remain mostly intact during the rest of 2009, with the possibility of Texas climbing up even though its electricity demand base is so high. Wyoming may hit 18% and North Dakota may pass Iowa for the top spot. I’ll let you know as the news happens here at SETenergy.org

Onwards in the Sustainable Energy Transition-