Dive Brief:
- Texas leads the nation in wind generation, and in 2013 produced nearly 36 million MWh of electricity powered by the renewable resource. The state has some 12,000 MW of wind capacity, the Midland Reporter-Telegram reports.
- Much of the state's wind generation expansion has come under the leadership of Gov. Rick Perry, who also backed the Competitive Renewable Energy Zone (CREZ) initiative building transmission links to remote areas where wind generation could be produced.
- In 2013, 12 states accounted for 80% of the United States' wind generation with production of a combined 134 million MWh.
Dive Insight:
While Texas Gov. Rick Perry is more likely thought of as a friend to the oil and gas industries, the state's wind generation has also expanded under his leadership. He also backed the $7-billion CREZ transmission project linking West Texas wind power with the state's demand centers.
The Midland Reporter-Telegram puts it in perspective, noting that the Texas grid had just 116 MW of wind capacity in 2000, the year Perry took office. Now, the state leads the nation. In 2013 Texas produced almost 36 million MWh — more than twice Iowa's 15 million MWh., the state with the second most wind generation. Those states were followed in wind generation by California, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Oregon, Colorado, Washington, North Dakota, and Wyoming.
The dozen states accounted for 80% of U.S. wind-generated electricity, and produced a combined 134 million MWh of electricity from wind. Nationwide, 167 million MWh of power came from wind in 2013, a 19% increase over 2012.
According to the EIA, wind power increased its share of U.S. total electricity generation in 2013 from 3.5% to 4.1%. All but 13 states reported to EIA some generation from wind, and 23 states increased their wind generation more than 10% above 2012 production levels. California's wind generation exceeded geothermal generation for the first time in 2013, EIA said.
