Wind farm development in the United States reached an all-time high in the second quarter of 2019, according to a new market report by the American Wind Energy Association.
The United States wind industry installed 736 megawatts of new wind power capacity in the second quarter of the year, with Texas leading the charge with an installed capacity of 734 megawatts, followed by California with 2 megawatts. The increase brings the United States’ cumulative installed wind capacity to 97,960 megawatts.
Commissioned wind power also rose 53 percent, compared to the first half of 2018 for a total of 1,577 megawatts. There are now more than 57,000 wind turbines operating across 41 states and two U.S. territories.
The report also showed that construction activity peaked to a record 20,908 megawatts at the end of the second quarter, with an additional 20,892 megawatts in advanced development. The combined 41,801 megawatts represents a 10 percent year-over-year increase and a new high water mark for the industry.
In addition, 15 states have more than 1,000 megawatts under construction or advanced development. Texas leads with 22 percent of the total development pipeline, followed by Wyoming with 12 percent, New Mexico with 7 percent, Iowa with 6 percent, and South Dakota with 5 percent.
To read the full report, click here.
