Record amount of wind under construction in the US

Source: By Josh Siegel, Washington Examiner • Posted: Monday, August 5, 2019

There was a record amount of wind farms being developed across the U.S. in the second quarter of this year, according to a report released Thursday.

The 41,801 megawatts of wind capacity currently under construction represents a 10% increase over the level of activity this time last year, the American Wind Energy Association said, with strong demand from businesses and utilities.

There are more than 200 wind projects under construction across 33 states.

“Our industry’s success strengthens the U.S. economy because access to affordable, clean American wind power is a competitive advantage in the eyes of business leaders,” said AWEA CEO Tom Kiernan. Texas has the most projects under construction (9,015 megawatts), followed by Wyoming, New Mexico, Iowa, and South Dakota.

The numbers have been bolstered by aggressive offshore wind targets set by states such as Maryland, Connecticut, and New York. Wind is currently supplying more than 20% of electricity in six states.