Texas leads US wind capacity additions in 2017

Texas was the leader in the US fresh wind capacity additions in 2017 with 2,305 MW, while Iowa was the state with the highest wind power generation share, shows data by the Department of Energy (DOE).

According to the latest wind market report, the US installed 7,017 MW of new wind farms last year, bringing the total cumulative to 88,973 MW. In addition to the newly-commissioned capacity, the country saw the completion of 2,131 MW of partial repowerings.

Texas ranked first in terms of new wind farm additions last year, with 2,305 MW, followed by Oklahoma with 851 MW, Kansas with 659 MW and New Mexico with 570 MW. In terms of overall installed wind power capacity, Texas again ended 2017 as a market leader with 22,599 MW, while Oklahoma had 7,495 MW. Third came Iowa with 7,308 MW of operational wind turbines.

As a fraction of in-state generation, 14 states exceeded 10% wind energy penetration last year, according to DOE’s statistics. Iowa was on top of the list with 36.9% of electricity from wind parks, closely followed by Kansas with a 36% share. Oklahoma and South Dakota came next with shares of 31.9% and 30.1%, respectively. On a nationwide basis, wind was responsible for 6.3% of the nation’s electricity supply last year.

Ranking as the third-largest source of new capacity, behind solar and natural gas, wind accounted for 25% of the US’ fresh capacity additions last year. The new installations in 2017 represented a total investment of USD 11 billion (EUR 9.47bn) and included new utility-scale wind farms in 24 states. The projects were developed at an average cost of USD 1,611 per kW, down 33% from the highest level reached in 2009-2010.

The 2017 Wind Technologies Market Report can be downloaded here: https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2018/08/f54/2017_wind_technologies_market_report_8.15.18.v2.pdf

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.861)

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