According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), wind energy is now the top source of renewable electricity generation in the country, surpassing hydroelectric generation in 2019 for the first time in history. Annual wind generation totaled 300 million MWh in 2019, exceeding hydroelectric generation by 26 million MWh.
“The past decade saw a steady increase in wind capacity across the country and we capped the decade with a monumental achievement for the industry in reaching more than 100 GW,” said Tom Kiernan, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). “With all of that capacity in the ground, wind projects were able to deliver 7.2% of the nation’s electricity in 2019. That means U.S. wind farms can power over 32 million homes from close to 60,000 wind turbines spinning across 41 states. The industry is proud to provide consumers with clean, affordable power that keeps utility costs stable and avoids carbon emissions contributing to climate change.
“More wind energy is coming, as the industry is well into investing US$62 billion in new projects over the next few years that put us on the path to achieving 20% of the nation’s electricity mix in 2030. As a result, wind is positioned to remain the largest renewable energy generator in the country for the foreseeable future.”
AWEA is the national trade association of the U.S. wind energy industry.
