Wind power in the United States facts for kids
Wind power in the United States is a way we make electricity using the wind. It's a big and growing industry! In 2011, the U.S. had enough wind turbines to make 42,432 megawatts (MW) of power. This made the U.S. second in the world for wind power, right after China.
In 2010, wind power created about 2.3% of all the electricity used in the United States. That's a lot of clean energy! It added up to 94,650 thousand megawatt-hours of electricity.
Many states are working to use more renewable energy like wind. Because of this, fourteen states now have over 1,000 MW of wind power. A total of 37 states have at least some large wind farms. Texas leads the way with 10,135 MW of wind power. Iowa is next with 3,675 MW. The Roscoe Wind Farm in Texas was the biggest wind farm in the U.S. in 2011, making 781 MW of power.
The wind power industry in the U.S. creates thousands of jobs. It also brings in billions of dollars. Wind projects help local towns by adding to their tax money. They also help farmers by giving them a steady income if they have wind turbines on their land. GE Energy is a major company that builds wind turbines in the U.S.
Images for kids
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Brazos Wind Farm in Texas.
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Map showing average wind speed in U.S., including offshore areas.
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U.S. wind farms in 2018.
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Kaheawa Wind Farm near Maalaea, Maui, with 20 wind turbines.
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Landowners can get money each year from having wind turbines on their land. Farmers can still grow crops or let animals graze near the turbines.
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Where offshore wind power could be used in the United States.
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Massachusetts and Rhode Island have strong winds offshore that could be used for power.
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See also
In Spanish: Energía eólica en Estados Unidos para niños
