Iowa, South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma and North Dakota all sourced more than 20 per cent of their electricity generation from wind power during 2016, according to new data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). It shows wind supplied over 5.5 per cent of electricity nationwide, up from 4.7 per cent in 2015.
The industry invested over US$ 13.8 billion in new turbines last year, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), in addition to operating a fleet now over 52,000 turbines. EIA’s new data show that wind turbines operating in 40 states generated a record total of 226 MWh during 2016, approximately four times the amount of solar electricity production and approaching what hydroelectric dams generate in America. In Oklahoma, wind’s share of total electricity generation grew from 18.4 per cent in 2015 to 25.1 per cent in 2016. In Iowa, wind grew from 31.5 per cent to 36.6 per cent – the highest in the nation – and in Kansas, wind’s share increased from 24.1 per cent to 29.6 per cent. The Dakotas also saw significant gains, with South Dakota becoming the second state in the country to generate over 30 per cent of its electricity from wind energy, and North Dakota rising to 21.5 per cent wind. Other states are close behind, according to EIA. In total, 14 states produced over 10 per cent of their electricity from wind in 2016. Twenty states generated over five per cent.