The U.S. wind energy industry is on track to add well over 3000 MW to the nation’s power generating capacity in 2007, according to the second quarter market report from the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). This would top last year’s record of 2454 MW. Some 935 MW were completed during this second quarter, the trade group said, bringing the total installed during the first half of the year to 1059 MW.
The locations (and generating capacities) of projects completed this quarter are: Texas (603 MW), Illinois (198 MW), Colorado (75 MW), Iowa (36 MW), New York (20 MW), and Minnesota (3 MW). Texas now has over 3,000 MW installed, strengthening its position as the state with the most wind power capacity. The ranking for the top-five states remains Texas (3352 MW), California (2376 MW), Iowa (967 MW), Minnesota (897 MW), and Washington (818 MW). One megawatt of wind power produces enough electricity on average to serve 250 to 300 homes.
