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.
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Images for kids
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Brazos Wind Ranch in Texas.
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Mendota Hills Wind Farm in northern Illinois
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Wind farm in Southeastern Washington
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Wind power potential
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The National Renewable Energy Laboratory projects that the levelized cost of wind power in the U.S. will decline about 25% from 2012 to 2030.
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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.
