Wind power in the United States facts for kids
Wind power in the United States is a growing industry. As of 2011, the total installed capacity of was 42,432 megawatts (MW), making it second in the world, behind China. In 2010 wind power accounted for 2.3% of the electricity generated in the United States. This amounted to 94,650 thousand megawatt-hours of electricity.
Driven by state renewable energy mandates, fourteen states have installed over 1,000 MW of wind capacity, and a total of 37 states now have installed at least some large-scale wind power. Texas, with 10,135 MW of capacity, has the most installed wind power capacity of any U.S. state, followed by Iowa with 3,675 MW. The Roscoe Wind Farm (781 MW) in Texas is the largest wind farm in the US as of 2011.
The U.S. wind industry generates tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars. Wind projects boost local tax bases, and help the economy of rural communities by providing a steady income stream to farmers with wind turbines on their land. GE Energy is the largest domestic wind turbine manufacturer.
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
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2018 US wind farms
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Kaheawa Wind Farm near Maalaea, Maui, with 20 GE Energy 1.5 MW wind turbines
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Landowners typically receive $3,000 to $5,000 per year in rental income from each wind turbine, while farmers continue to grow crops or graze cattle up to the foot of the turbines.
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Offshore wind power potential in the United States
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Massachusetts and Rhode Island have strong offshore wind resources.
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See also
In Spanish: Energía eólica en Estados Unidos para niños
