Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on Commodity.com.
“Meteoric” is one way to describe wind energy’s rise to the top of America’s renewable energy industry. Amid repeated calls from scientists and activists to undertake measures to curb global warming, lawmakers, politicians, and the energy industry have responded.
Wind generation is at the leading edge of the movement toward clean energy production. Fields of wind turbines across the country have slowly started to increase their proportion of total energy production.
While U.S. offshore wind production currently lags behind that of other developed nations, America’s onshore capacity is second only to China. Wind energy’s share of total utility-scale electricity generation in the U.S. grew from less than 1% in 1990 to over 8% in 2020.
In 2019, more than $13 billion was invested in wind power. The amount of new generation capacity added to the nation’s electrical grids through wind projects was greater than all other sources except natural gas.
To determine the states producing the most wind energy, researchers at Commodity.com calculated each state’s annual wind energy production, measured in megawatt-hours. The data used in this analysis is from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Researchers also calculated the absolute change in wind energy production since 2010, wind’s share of total energy production, and wind’s share of total renewable energy production.
Here are the states producing the most wind energy.
15. Michigan
Annual wind energy production (MWh): 5,825,705
Change in wind energy production since 2010 (MWh): 5,465,365
Wind share of total energy production: 5.0%
Wind share of total renewable energy production: 58.7%
14. Indiana
Annual wind energy production (MWh): 6,216,030
Change in wind energy production since 2010 (MWh): 3,281,987
Wind share of total energy production: 6.1%
Wind share of total renewable energy production: 85.7%
13. Oregon
Annual wind energy production (MWh): 6,568,889
Change in wind energy production since 2010 (MWh): 2,648,882
Wind share of total energy production: 10.6%
Wind share of total renewable energy production: 17.0%
12. Washington
Annual wind energy production (MWh): 6,677,261
Change in wind energy production since 2010 (MWh): 1,932,582
Wind share of total energy production: 6.3%
Wind share of total renewable energy production: 9.0%
11. New Mexico
Annual wind energy production (MWh): 6,892,087
Change in wind energy production since 2010 (MWh): 5,059,905
Wind share of total energy production: 19.6%
Wind share of total renewable energy production: 81.1%
10. Nebraska
Annual wind energy production (MWh): 7,211,092
Change in wind energy production since 2010 (MWh): 6,789,447
Wind share of total energy production: 19.3%
Wind share of total renewable energy production: 83.2%
9. Colorado
Annual wind energy production (MWh): 10,852,376
Change in wind energy production since 2010 (MWh): 7,400,525
Wind share of total energy production: 19.3%
Wind share of total renewable energy production: 77.3%
8. Minnesota
Annual wind energy production (MWh): 10,964,869
Change in wind energy production since 2010 (MWh): 6,173,146
Wind share of total energy production: 18.5%
Wind share of total renewable energy production: 75.8%
7. North Dakota
Annual wind energy production (MWh): 11,213,025
Change in wind energy production since 2010 (MWh): 7,117,384
Wind share of total energy production: 27.3%
Wind share of total renewable energy production: 77.9%
6. California
Annual wind energy production (MWh): 13,735,069
Change in wind energy production since 2010 (MWh): 7,656,437
Wind share of total energy production: 6.8%
Wind share of total renewable energy production: 14.1%
5. Illinois
Annual wind energy production (MWh): 14,459,597
Change in wind energy production since 2010 (MWh): 10,005,963
Wind share of total energy production: 7.8%
Wind share of total renewable energy production: 96.0%
4. Kansas
Annual wind energy production (MWh): 21,123,539
Change in wind energy production since 2010 (MWh): 17,718,474
Wind share of total energy production: 41.5%
Wind share of total renewable energy production: 99.6%
3. Iowa
Annual wind energy production (MWh): 26,304,990
Change in wind energy production since 2010 (MWh): 17,134,653
Wind share of total energy production: 42.0%
Wind share of total renewable energy production: 96.2%
2. Oklahoma
Annual wind energy production (MWh): 29,008,131
Change in wind energy production since 2010 (MWh): 25,200,048
Wind share of total energy production: 34.0%
Wind share of total renewable energy production: 87.2%
1. Texas
Annual wind energy production (MWh): 83,620,371
Change in wind energy production since 2010 (MWh): 57,368,961
Wind share of total energy production: 17.3%
Wind share of total renewable energy production: 92.0%
Detailed Findings and Methodology
The data used in this analysis is from the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Electricity Power Data.
To determine the states producing the most wind energy, researchers calculated the annual wind energy production, measured in megawatt-hours.
Researchers also calculated absolute change in wind energy production since 2010, wind’s share of total energy production, and wind’s share of total renewable energy production.
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