Did you know that the US uses a lot of wind energy? According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), wind power accounted for 9.2% of electricity generation in 2021.
That’s a lot of renewable energy!
While some detractors say that wind power is not efficient enough or reliable enough to meet our energy needs, it’s clear that this power is here to stay.
This blog post will look at how much wind energy is used in the US and the future of this renewable resource.
How Much Wind Energy Is Used In The US?
The United States is a top producer of wind power, generating nearly 380 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2021. This accounted for 9.2% of total U.S. utility-scale electricity generation that year.
The vast majority of wind power in the U.S. is generated by large wind farms, clusters of turbines spread over a large area.
These facilities have a capacity of at least 100 megawatts (MW). There are more than 50,000 MW of installed wind capacity in the U.S., and this number is growing rapidly.
Over the past three decades, wind electricity generation has increased substantially. In addition, wind electricity production has become less expensive due to technological advancements.
Since 2007, wind turbines have generated more than a third of the almost 200 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale energy generation capacity.
Improved wind turbine technology, state-level renewable portfolio mandates, federal production tax credits and grants, and expanded access to transmission capacity have all contributed to the surge in wind development in the United States during the past decade.
Wind power is the fastest-growing source of electricity in the country. Wind energy is a clean, renewable resource that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.
Additionally, it is a domestic energy source that creates jobs and spurs economic development in communities where wind farms are built.
It will likely play an essential role in meeting America’s energy needs in the years to come for all these reasons.
What Is Wind Energy?
Wind energy is a clean, renewable resource that you can use to generate electricity. Wind turbines capture the wind’s kinetic energy and convert it into electricity.
Wind energy is one of the fastest-growing sources of electricity in the world.
There are two main types of wind energy: onshore and offshore. Onshore wind farms are typically located in rural areas, while offshore wind farms are built in shallow coastal waters.
Overall, wind energy is a clean, renewable resource that offers an abundant source of electricity with minimal environmental impacts.
Facts About Wind Energy
This is a popular topic of debate, with proponents and opponents arguing over the merits of this renewable energy source.
However, some facts are not up for debate. For example, it is one of the fastest-growing sources of electricity in the world.
In 2018, it generated approximately 6% of the world’s electricity, which is expected to increase in the coming years.
Additionally, it is a relatively low-cost source of electricity. The Levelized cost is now cheaper than natural gas, coal, and nuclear power.
As more countries look to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, it will likely play an increasingly important role in the global energy mix.
Where Does Wind Energy Come From?
It comes from the kinetic energy of moving air molecules, which can be harnessed using wind turbines.
The blades of a turbine catch the wind and spin around a central shaft, which turns a generator to produce electricity.
Wind turbines can be used to make electric current on a small scale, such as at a home or business, or on a large scale, such as at a wind farm.
The amount of electricity generated by a turbine depends on the speed and direction of the wind and the size and design of the turbine.
With advances in technology, wind turbines are becoming more efficient and reliable, making them an increasingly popular renewable energy source.
It is a domestic resource-abundant and distributed across the United States. There are plants located in all 50 states, and the vast majority of them are located in rural areas.
The wind resource is powerful in the Great Plains region, which is home to some of the largest wind farms in the world.
Pros And Cons Of Wind Energy
It has several advantages over other forms of energy generation. First, it is emissions-free, not contributing to air pollution or greenhouse gas emissions.
Additionally, it is a renewable resource that you can use indefinitely.
does have some disadvantages. It is an intermittent resource, meaning that it is not available all the time. Additionally, wind turbines can be expensive to build and maintain.
The potential for wind turbines to physically harm wild animals through collisions and indirectly through noise pollution, habitat loss, and decreased survival or reproduction is a significant concern for the wind industry.
Utility-Scale Wind Turbines
Utility-scale wind turbines are large industrial machines that generate electricity from the wind.
These turbines are typically much more significant than those used for residential or commercial applications, and they are usually located in rural areas with a robust and consistent wind resource.
Utility-scale turbines can have rotor diameters of up to 200 meters and towers over 100 meters tall.
Facilities with at least one megawatt (1,000 kilowatts) of electricity generation capacity are considered utility sizes.
For the most part, the turbines installed and the energy they produce come from utility-scale units, with offshore units making up a smaller but rapidly expanding share.
The nation’s capacity is 135 GW, making it the fourth-largest source of electricity generation capacity.
These massive machines can generate enough electricity to power thousands of homes and businesses.
In addition to their size, utility-scale turbines are notable for their efficiency.
The blades on these turbines are designed to capture as much power as possible, and the gearboxes and generators are highly efficient at converting this energy into electricity.
As a result, utility-scale turbines are a vital part of the renewable energy mix.
Offshore Wind Projects
Wind energy extraction from offshore sites has gained popularity in generating renewable electricity.
Unlike onshore wind farms, which are often met with public opposition due to their visual impact, offshore wind turbines are typically located far from shore and thus out of sight.
In addition, the winds at offshore sites are typically more robust and more consistent than on land, making offshore wind a desirable option for power generation.
While the initial cost of developing an offshore wind farm is often higher than that of an onshore facility, the long-term prices are generally lower due to the higher capacity factor of offshore turbines.
As a result, it is expected to play an increasingly important role in meeting the global demand for renewable electricity in the years to come.
At 3.8 miles (6.1 kilometers) off the coast of Rhode Island is the first commercial offshore wind farm in the United States. Deepwater Wind created the 30-megawatt project, which has five turbines.
Fifteen projects in the US offshore pipeline have been approved for construction, and eight states have set 39,298 MW of offshore wind energy procurement targets by 2040.
In 2020, there will be 5,519 MW of offshore wind installations worldwide. More and more turbines are being built larger than the average rotor diameter, now more than 150 meters.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is the U.S. Department of Energy’s primary laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development.
The Alliance operates NREL for Sustainable Energy, LLC, a joint venture between the University of Colorado and the Battelle Memorial Institute.
Located in Golden, Colorado, NREL has more than 2,000 employees, making it one of the largest laboratories in the country.
NREL’s research focuses on solar, wind, water, geothermal, biomass technologies; transportation; grid modernization; and market development.
The lab also works to accelerate the commercialization of new technologies through partnerships with industry, academia, and other national laboratories.
In addition to its research programs, NREL also manages several significant facilities, including the National Wind Technology Center and the National Solar Thermal Test Facility.
These facilities provide critical resources for testing and evaluating new renewable energy technologies.
16,836 megawatts of utility-scale land-based wind generation capacity were added to U.S. energy infrastructure in 2020, a total expenditure of $24.6 billion, according to research from the DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Millions of individuals worldwide live and work within five miles of wind farms with no problems, and a study indicated that 92% of those people had good or neutral experiences with wind turbines.
Department Of Energy
The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is a cabinet-level department of the federal government responsible for overseeing the country’s energy policy.
The DOE was established in 1977, in the wake of the oil crisis, to help reduce America’s dependence on imported oil.
Today, the DOE’s mission is to “ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions.”
The DOE is responsible for various activities, from funding research and development projects to setting energy efficiency standards.
In recent years, the DOE has been working to increase the use of renewable energy sources and reduce the country’s emissions of greenhouse gases.
The DOE’s work is critical to ensuring that America has a clean and secure energy future.
Energy Information Administration
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is a statistical agency within the U.S. DOE. The EIA collects, analyzes, and disseminates independent data on the U.S. energy system, including data on production, consumption, stocks, imports, exports, prices, and technology.
The EIA’s data products cover various topics, including electricity, coal, nuclear energy, natural gas, renewable energy, and oil.
The EIA also provides analysis on energy issues, such as carbon dioxide emissions and the impacts of energy development on the environment and economic growth.
In addition to its statistical products and analyses, the EIA also develops models and tools to help policymakers understand how changes in the energy sector could affect the economy and the environment.
The Energy Information Administration forecasts the US will bring more power this year with 7.6 gigawatts more energy generation from wind and generating capacity of 21.5 gigawatts from solar power.
How Much Wind Energy Is Used In The World?
Hydropower was the world’s most significant renewable energy source, with the wind coming in second. In 2020, wind power accounted for more than 6% of worldwide electricity production, with a global capacity of 743 GW (707.4 GW is onshore).
How Many Wind Turbines Are In The U.S. 2022?
The U.S. Wind Turbine Database (USWTDB) contains more than 70,800 turbines as of January 2022.
How Many Windmills Are In The World?
Over 350,000 windmills generate more than 743 GW of wind power capacity worldwide.
Final Thoughts
Wind energy has come a long way in the United States. The technology is more efficient and cost-effective than ever before, and it is projected to continue growing in popularity.
As of 2021, wind turbines were the source of about 9.2% of total U.S. utility-scale electricity generation, which is only expected to grow in the years to come.
The United States would like to boost its offshore wind capacity to 30 gigawatts by 2030 to reach its goal of a carbon-free power industry by 2035.
In addition, other forms of clean energy will be required to meet the U.S. electricity demand while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
If you’re interested in learning more about wind energy or investing in this technology, please reach out to us for more information.
FAQs
How much offshore wind does the US have?
Only 0.05 GW of offshore wind capacity exists in the United States.
How much wind power does it take to run a house?
A typical residence consumes around 10,649 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, or 877 kilowatt-hours each month. Depending on the standard wind speed in the region, a wind turbine with a capacity between 5 and 15 kilowatts would be necessary to contribute significantly to this demand.
What percent of US energy comes from wind?
In 2021, it accounted for around 9.2% of total U.S. electricity generation and approximately 46% of renewable energy electricity generation.
How many birds are killed by windmills in the US?
According to Merriman, 1.17 million birds are killed annually by windmills in the United States. This is a large number of birds, but it represents only 0.016 percent of the estimated 7.2 billion birds living in the United States.
Where is wind energy used the most in the US?
The oil-rich state of Texas is the world’s top producer of wind energy. More than six million homes can be powered by Texas’ 28,000 MW of energy generated.
What is the biggest wind farm in the US?
Onshore farms don’t come much bigger than Roscoe Wind Farm (RWF), owned by RWE. It is the world’s largest, located about 45 miles south of Abilene, Texas.
Does Chicago use wind energy?
Known as the Windy City, Chicago in Illinois is home to 6.83 percent of the state’s energy needs, which grows each year, and the state is sixth in the nation in wind power generation at 4,887 megawatts.
Which country uses the most wind energy?
With more than a quarter of the world’s wind capacity, China is the global leader in wind energy. Gobi Desert in Gansu Province is home to the world’s largest onshore windfarm.
Who owns wind farms in the US?
According to a 2016 report, the leading wind energy operators in the United States are NextEra Energy, Berkshire Hathaway, AVANGRID, and EDP.
NextEra Energy leads the pack with 12.9 gigawatts of wind energy production, followed by Berkshire Hathaway with 6 gigawatts.
AVANGRID comes in third with 5.6 gigawatts, while EDG rounds out the top four with 4.1 gigawatts.
NRG and Invenergy are tied for fifth place with 2.7 gigawatts each, while EDF and E.ON are close behind with 2.6 and 2.5 gigawatts, respectively.
Duke Energy and TerraForm Power round out the top ten with 2.3 and 2.2 gigawatts, respectively.
How many wind farms are in the US?
America is home to more than 57,000 wind turbines of various sizes.
