US Wind Industry Installed More Than 6.8 Gigawatts in 2011, According to AWEA

The U.S. windindustry’s 2011 Annual Market Report indicates that American wind power ended another strong year of double-digit growth. The market report also indicates that wind power has become one of America's fastest growing sources of Made-in-the-USA manufacturing jobs, and that the cost of wind has droped. South Dakota and Iowa lead a record five states that received more than 10 percent of their electricity from wind in 2011. Seven states have at least 4,000 wind jobs apiece, and the list shows the industry’s geographic reach, stretching from Iowa to Texas to Illinois, Ohio, Colorado, California and Michigan. Meanwhile, Kansas’ position at the top of the list for under construction wind projects is setting the stage for a very strong 2012.

In the past five years of relative policy stability, American wind power has:

Brought in as much as $20 billion annually in private investment to the U.S.
Created one of the largest providers of new American electric generation with 35% of all new power capacity, right behind natural gas.
Driven technology advances that have made wind more affordable than ever. A typical wind turbine now generates 30% more electricity – all while driving down costs.
Created nearly 500 new American manufacturing facilities and employed 75,000 overall, including 30,000 in the manufacturing sector, from coast to coast.

The U.S. wind industry installed 6,816 megawatts (MW) in 2011, 31 percent higher than 2010, for a total of 46,916 MW installed in the U.S. to date. And there are more than 8,300 MW under construction, setting the stage for a strong 2012. Other highlights of the U.S. Wind Industry 2011 Market Report that AWEA released recently include:

Top 10 states for overall wind jobs:

1. Iowa: 6,000-7,000

2. Texas: 6-7 K

3. Illinois: 6-7 K

4. Ohio: 5-6 K

5. Colorado: 4-5K

6. California: 4-5K

7. Michigan: 4-5K

8. Pennsylvania: 3-4K

9. Florida: 2-3K

10. Oregon: 2-3K

Top states for wind generation as a percentage of their portfolio (Records: five states received more than 10 percent of their electricity from wind in 2011 and 13 received more than 5 percent):

1. South Dakota: 22.3%

2. Iowa: 18.8%

3. North Dakota: 14.7%

4. Minnesota: 12.7%

5. Wyoming: 10.1%

6. Colorado: 9.2%

7. Kansas: 8.3%

8. Oregon: 8.2%

9. Idaho: 8.2%

10. Oklahoma: 7.1%

11. Texas: 6.9% (8.5% on ERCOT)

12. New Mexico: 5.4%

13. Washington: 5.3%

Top ten states for wind projects under construction in 2012:

1. Kansas: 1,189 MW

2. Texas: 857 MW

3. California: 847 MW

4. Oregon: 640 MW

5. Illinois: 615 MW

6. Pennsylvania: 520 MW

7. Iowa: 470 MW

8. Oklahoma: 393 MW

9. Michigan: 348 MW

10. Washington: 331 MW

The annual market report can be found here.