Wind power is generated when the kinetic energy of the wind turbine blades is converted into mechanical energy.
Although the wind is not always present, wind turbines can still actively generate power 90% of the time. Wind turbines typically need to be located at higher elevations, where winds tend to be more consistent and stronger, but there are alternative ways to use wind power alongside other renewables, as projects in Oregon and Nevada have shown. . Wind turbines can also be placed on floating platforms offshore, as planned in California.
At the national level, the American Jobs Plan sets the intent to achieve carbon-free electricity by 2035, and wind is an obvious component in this game plan. However, there has been pushback in response to the aesthetic and aural impacts of wind farms, despite the fact that many are located miles from the coast and the noise is less than that of a two-person conversation in close-up. Statistics for national wind power capacity in 2017, the most recent data available, stand at nearly 85,000 megawatts, up from 17,000 10 years earlier.
Comparatively, the potential wind energy stands at 10,640,079 megawatts at 80 meters. Many of the statistics noted here comment on the kilowatt capacities of different wind power projects. For context, the US Energy Information Administration reports that the average American home consumes about 877 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month, or more than 10,000 kWh per year. One notable insight in this state-by-state review of wind power is that there is a wind power shortage in many southern states. Reasons for this include insufficient wind in some regions, coupled with the availability of solar power making investment in a new form of renewable energy less attractive.
Using data from the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Stacker compared installed wind energy capacity in the continental U.S. to potential wind energy capacity. The EERE calculated wind energy potential through surveying wind patterns at 80 meters throughout the country and selecting suitable wind turbine locations, accounting for legal and technical factors. Stacker also utilized data from the Energy Information Administration to contextualize what percent of electricity generation is currently sourced from wind power in each state.
#48. Rhode Island
- Potential wind energy capacity: 192 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 75 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 2.9%
Rhode Island won’t be the only winner from $40 million in wind energy development in Providence: Power will also be delivered to New York and Connecticut. More than half of that investment is planned for a wind turbine fabrication facility in Providence that will also bring 40 union jobs to the area. The state’s governor vetoed a bill in July 2021 that would have shifted renewable energy costs from developers to an investor-owned utility that provides most of the state’s power from gas and electricity.
#47. Delaware
- Potential wind energy capacity: 755 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 2 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 0.1%
Delaware has experienced pushback against wind energy in the region. Residents don’t mind the technology, but some object to the size of the turbines and want to see them offshore due to the impact on beachgoers, shoreline property owners, and wildlife. The major wind energy developer in the area donated $50,000 to the state for eco-restoration efforts. With the last coal-fired power plant scheduled to close in Delaware in 2022, the state is exploring different energy options and has made a commitment to source 40% of its power from renewable sources by 2035.
#46. New Jersey
- Potential wind energy capacity: 945 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 9 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 0%
The benefits of wind energy are being somewhat overshadowed in New Jersey over resident concerns about the impact of almost 100 turbines 15 miles from the Atlantic City shore that will extend more than 850 feet above the surface of the water. General Electric, which developed the technology, reminds locals that one positive impact is the annual reduction in emissions is equivalent to removing 10,000 cars from the roads. The project will also power 500,000 homes and help the state reach its goal of 100% clean energy by 2050.
#45. Connecticut
- Potential wind energy capacity: 1,679 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 5 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 0%
Connecticut has committed to reaching its goal of sourcing 100% of its electricity from zero-carbon options by 2040, and offshore wind farms are a major component of that plan. The Park City Wind Project will provide 14% of the state’s power.
#44. Massachusetts
- Potential wind energy capacity: 4,749 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 120 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 1.5%
Massachusetts was an early adopter of offshore wind energy development, but neighboring states are ramping up the construction of onshore infrastructure to support the industry. The state has plans to increase wind energy procurements to 5,600 megawatts from the original plan for 1,800 megawatts.
#43. Maryland
- Potential wind energy capacity: 7,283 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 191 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 1.5%
Ørsted Offshore North America, the green energy company responsible for wind energy expansion in Rhode Island, submitted a bid in July 2021 to develop a wind farm in Maryland that would deliver 760 megawatts of energy. This would be their second project in the area. Between the two, power would be delivered to almost 300,00 homes in the area. The state plans to source half of its power via renewable energy sources, including wind, by 2030.
#42. New Hampshire
- Potential wind energy capacity: 12,661 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 214 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 3.1%
Nearby neighbors are frustrated with the visual and auditory impact of New Hampshire wind turbines, even though noise is below state limits. One person compared the sound to “a jet airplane in the distance,” noting that he could still hear the sound without his hearing aids. State policymakers, however, intend to require local utilities to invest in wind energy. Unions in the state are seeing member interest in wind energy projects, and they want to ask the state for a requirement that future projects utilize New Hampshire labor.
#41. Vermont
- Potential wind energy capacity: 22,193 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 149 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 16.2%
Education and local municipalities in Vermont both benefit from wind energy projects. Each receives more than $1 million annually from this renewable source of energy. Despite this, elected officials and citizens alike have pushed back against new wind energy development, stating some of the same concerns voiced by other states. Governor Phil Scott even included opposition to the energy source in his campaign platform.
#40. Florida
- Potential wind energy capacity: 38,245 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 0 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 0%
Florida has experimented with wind energy on a very small scale—as in creating turbines to power electric cars—but the state hasn’t yet embraced the full capabilities of this energy source. This is mostly because winds in the state don’t generate enough consistent force, so the only workaround is to use turbines that tower more than 600 feet above the landscape—the types that have faced opposition in other states. However, the state is exploring using turbines with ocean currents to generate energy.
#39. South Carolina
- Potential wind energy capacity: 41,709 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 0 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 0%
Though South Carolina is behind in terms of installed wind energy capacity, a Charleston factory is slated to create cables needed to power offshore wind farms in the U.S. and worldwide. The state is also seeking ways to avoid the catastrophe faced by Texas when freezing temperatures shut down wind turbines in the Lone Star State in February 2021. The governor asked power companies to investigate the capabilities of the state’s power grid.
#38. Louisiana
- Potential wind energy capacity: 56,729 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 0 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 0%
A Louisiana steel manufacturer used its oil industry expertise to build wind turbines being used in Rhode Island, and the southern state is exploring how to create jobs and revenue by developing its own wind farms. The state is getting help from the federal government, as of June 2021, the Biden administration released a request for interest to assess the interest of private companies in developing offshore wind projects in the Gulf states.
#37. West Virginia
- Potential wind energy capacity: 69,098 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 742 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 3.3%
After decades of relying on coal, West Virginia started construction in early 2021 on a $200 million wind farm that will increase the state’s wind energy capacity by 15%. The shift in focus is also expected to help the state’s struggling coal industry, which lost one-third of its jobs in a nine-year period ending in 2019. By 2030, wind energy is expected to bring over 1,000 full-time jobs to the state. West Virginia will also be contributing to the advancement of wind energy elsewhere, as steel components from the state are being produced for projects in the Atlantic region.
#36. Maine
- Potential wind energy capacity: 69,797 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 996 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 24%
The governor of Maine is a strong proponent of wind energy but signed a bill in July 2021 banning wind farms in Maine waters after pushback from the state’s fishing industry. Some went as far as disrupting a survey related to a planned turbine, while others participated in an 80-boat protest. However, the state can still benefit from the renewable energy source by siting wind farms farther out, in federal waters. A compromise is being considered that would place a site somewhere between 20 and 40 miles from the Maine coast, which includes a public comment period.
#35. North Carolina
- Potential wind energy capacity: 77,643 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 208 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 0.4%
A wind energy project proposed for North Carolina could power 700,000 residences by generating 2,500 megawatts. The wind farm would be sited 27 miles from shore, which would likely reduce the level of complaints by citizens and some industries that have been seen in other states, where developments were planned much closer to shore. Other expected hurdles for the development are related to regulations and financing—the state needs to prove it can sell energy generated by the project in order to secure funds.
#34. Michigan
- Potential wind energy capacity: 81,311 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 2,681 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 6.4%
One dairy farm in Michigan expanded its production to include wind energy from eight turbines sited on their property. The turbines are part of a 130-turbine development that is expected to deliver electricity to 120,000 homes and provide tax revenue for the region. Ford Motor Company, General Motors, and the University of Michigan are among the Michigan companies embracing wind energy as a power source for their operations. Wind alone could generate more than double the electric power used by residential customers in the state in 2019, according to a report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
#33. Virginia
- Potential wind energy capacity: 89,119 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 0 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 0%
Would-be wind turbine technicians are able to train for the profession at a Virginia trade school, in a 12-month immersion program, which includes hands-on training in climbing, rappelling, rigging, and rescuing. Graduates will be prepared for up to 5,000 wind energy jobs forecast for the region. The school, situated in Norfolk, has the strong support of the city’s mayor. A wind farm operated by Dominion Energy is already generating power in the area.
#32. New York
- Potential wind energy capacity: 91,648 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 1,987 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 3.8%
Unlike those in Texas, wind turbines in New York are set up to survive wintry weather by utilizing technology that helps to prevent ice buildup on turbine blades and detects and removes ice when it can’t be prevented. Given Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s plans to create the country’s biggest wind energy installations, and an “energy superhighway” to expedite distribution, the state will need to count on those types of tools to reach those goals. Six million homes will be served by the plan when completed. In addressing issues that have arisen in other states about the aesthetic impact of turbines, Cuomo assured, “Don’t worry, neither [project] will be visible from the shore.”
#31. Georgia
- Potential wind energy capacity: 93,639 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 0 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 0%
Since Georgia currently has no capacity for wind energy, the state has plenty of potential for increasing access to this type of renewable energy. The state can utilize onshore development on mountain ranges or offshore projects along the Atlantic coastline, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. A report from Environment Georgia Research & Policy Center and Frontier Group noted the state could generate more power from wind alone than it used in 2019. Given the usual discrepancy between what the state can generate and what it uses, this is significant.
#30. Pennsylvania
- Potential wind energy capacity: 108,946 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 1,459 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 1.7%
Advocates for wind energy are seeing no support from the Republican-led Pennsylvania legislature, which claims consumers and the private sector need to push for changes. Beyond that, the state is losing renewable energy jobs, including those at an Allentown manufacturer of wind turbine blade components. The company had operated at that location for 10 years but is now moving operations to Mexico. Only 4% of Pennsylvania’s electricity needs are met by renewable energy, but of that amount, more than one-third is generated by wind.
#29. Wisconsin
- Potential wind energy capacity: 114,314 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 746 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 2.9%
One advocate for renewable power in Wisconsin noted wind and solar facilities create passive income for farmers and other landowners, with no responsibility for maintenance. Smaller projects in the state are also not subject to the creation of environmental impact statements or public comments and review processes. Renew Wisconsin reports there are 435 wind turbines in the state, which are capable of powering 172,000 homes.
#28. Mississippi
- Potential wind energy capacity: 114,539 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 0 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 0%
Construction is scheduled for a 100-turbine wind farm in Mississippi’s Tunica County, which will be supported with tax breaks from local government that reduce assessments from 15% to 8%. The $250 million project will power up to 7,000 homes and bring $800,000 in tax revenues to the area. Local leaders are excited about the prospect of diversifying their economy, which has been dependent on gaming and agriculture, and they predict wind energy is one good option.
#27. Tennessee
- Potential wind energy capacity: 115,857 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 29 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 0.1%
Tennessee has only minimal wind generation, and no renewable energy commitments or standards in the state or its cities, according to WINDExchange. The state also has no Wind for Schools systems, which are designed to introduce higher education students to career options in the industry. And because the state also has no wind energy-specific incentive programs, it’s likely that current federal initiatives will provide advocates with the most options to increase installed capacity. But wind energy is becoming more sustainable in Tennessee after the University of Tennessee learned how to recycle turbine blades into composites that can be used in vehicles, sports equipment, and components for other types of renewable energy development.
#26. Indiana
- Potential wind energy capacity: 118,388 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 2,968 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 7.3%
Indiana is currently struggling between its want for renewable energy options and retaining local control of project development, but progress is being made at the state level, and it would negate county-level rules. The state now ranks 12th nationwide for installed energy capacity. Because the industry generates revenue for schools and infrastructure, more in the state are favoring more development. Elected officials are exploring legislation that would define how close projects could be sited to power lines and other projects.
#25. Ohio
- Potential wind energy capacity: 119,128 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 864 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 1.9%
Windmills are in the works as one way to power the La Quinta Inn in Louisville via renewable energy. Ultimately, the hotel expects to generate 25% more of its energy needs via wind and solar options. But state and local governments are still lagging, with no commercial wind projects in the works.
#22. Arkansas
- Potential wind energy capacity: 162,330 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 0 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 0%
The Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation has purchase agreements in the works for a wind-generated agency, even though the state has no current wind projects. The most likely region for the installation of wind farms is in the Ozark Mountains in the northwest part of the state, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
#21. Washington
- Potential wind energy capacity: 174,223 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 3,395 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 7.3%
Illinois not only powers over 1.2 million homes via wind energy but, it’s home to more than 30 manufacturers that create products for the industry. The state is also investing millions to create more capacity and maintain existing farms.
#18. Idaho
- Potential wind energy capacity: 212,830 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 973 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 14.2%
Training for wind energy jobs in Idaho is available to pre-college students: There are seven high schools involved with the Wind for Schools Project. Those who want to continue their education can attend three state colleges and universities. One proposed wind farm would generate $4 million annually in tax revenues and power 300,000 homes.
#17. Utah
- Potential wind energy capacity: 277,746 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 391 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 2.2%
One of the benefits of wind energy as Utah and other states face droughts is power generation via this source requires almost no water. A Utah State University professor noted shifting to wind, along with solar, could save billions of water in the state each year.
#16. Missouri
- Potential wind energy capacity: 278,695 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 1,987 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 4.7%
Missouri is home to the first city in the country that operates solely on wind energy. Meanwhile, the state’s Buchanan County voted to ban commercial wind energy in 2020.
#15. Iowa
- Potential wind energy capacity: 279,568 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 11,660 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 57.5%
More than one-third of the Midwestern state’s power is generated via wind. Iowa is also home to a bat-detecting dog, who find bats killed by the turbines. Experts say there are ways to mitigate danger to wildlife—one of the nationwide concerns about wind power—including temporarily idling the machines, or using ultrasonic white noise.
#14. North Dakota
- Potential wind energy capacity: 296,084 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 3,989 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 30.8%
More than 1,500 wind turbines dot the North Dakota landscape. As the state explores more wind development, one of the challenges has been balancing the often-competing interests of coal and wind energy advocates. Several counties have imposed moratoriums on new wind farms.
#13. Oregon
- Potential wind energy capacity: 297,334 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 3,737 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 13.2%
Wind power is getting some surprising allies in Oklahoma. The beauty company Estée Lauder signed a virtual power purchase agreement for a wind farm in the state. The renewable power source was responsible for 42% of electricity generated in the state and saved customers more than $1 billion.
#10. Colorado
- Potential wind energy capacity: 395,378 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 4,692 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 23.5%
Wind farms are one way that Xcel Energy is bringing more renewable energy to Colorado. But customers are balking at the $344 million rate boost that would fund the company’s projects but also increase power bills for residential customers by up to 20% over just one year.
#9. South Dakota
- Potential wind energy capacity: 417,878 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 2,305 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 32.9%
One of the arguments for renewable energy is that jobs will be created as the industry evolves, but one wind turbine component manufacturer in South Dakota just closed. And despite high levels of wind potential, the state doesn’t have many jobs in the industry. However, the state does have training for jobs as they are created: North Dakota has 12 Wind for Schools Project locations. The program offers students the chance to learn about wind energy, from basics at the elementary school level to technical training for those in college.
#8. Nebraska
- Potential wind energy capacity: 465,474 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 2,531 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 23.6%
Nebraska is another state that has conflicting opinions about wind and other renewable energy: Residents see the benefits but don’t want their home values and views to be diminished. This perspective is behind a bill introduced in the state.
#7. Nevada
- Potential wind energy capacity: 468,034 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 152 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 0.8%
Nevada is looking at “time-shifting renewable energy” by using wind and solar energy to power a hydropower turbine that would generate energy to the grid at peak usage times. Storing power would help prevent rolling blackouts.
#6. Wyoming
- Potential wind energy capacity: 472,418 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 2,738 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 12.3%
New installations almost doubled Wyoming’s wind power capacity in 2020. Beyond that, profits from the industry are boosting tax revenues, even though funds from fossil fuels are disappearing over time.
#5. Arizona
- Potential wind energy capacity: 474,967 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 618 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 0.6%
Investment in wind energy projects is expected to power more than a million homes in New Mexico and bring $1 billion in economic benefits to the state. State leaders note the projects will help New Mexico reach its goal of being carbon neutral by 2045.
#2. Montana
- Potential wind energy capacity: 678,978 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 880 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 12.6%
Montana ranks in the top 10% of the nation’s windiest states. Electricity generated there benefits not only Montanans but also the electric customers in the Puget Sound area of Washington state.
#1. Texas
- Potential wind energy capacity: 1,347,992 megawatts
- Currently installed wind energy capacity: 33,133 megawatts
- Current wind energy generation as percent of state’s electric grid: 19.6%
The creation of wind energy also supports almost 37,000 jobs in Texas alone. Despite this and other benefits, the industry has its opponents, like Gov. Greg Abbott, who claimed the winter energy crisis in the state could be blamed on wind and other renewable power sources.
This article has been re-published pursuant to a CC BY-NC 4.0 License
By Stacker, azfamily.com
