13GW U.S. Wind Power in 2012-Exceeds Other Countries-VIDEO

August 7, 2013

According to the Department of Energy: Wind capacity additions in the United States reached record levels in 2012, as detailed in the 2012 Wind Technologies Market Report. In this video narrated by Jose Zayas, Director of the Energy Department’s Wind and Water Power Technologies Office, he highlights the wind power accomplishments in 2012. This includes adding 13 gigawatts in new installations — enough to surpass any other country — as well as employing 80,000 American workers.

Watch the video to learn more about the new records reached by the U.S. industry as found in the 2012 Wind Technologies Market Report. | Video by Matty Greene, Energy Department.

Wind capacity additions in the United States reached record levels in 2012, as detailed in the 2012 Wind Technologies Market Report, reports Energy.Gov. In this video narrated by Jose Zayas, Director of the Energy Department’s Wind and Water Power Technologies Office, he highlights the wind energy accomplishments in 2012. This includes adding 13 gigawatts in new installations — enough to surpass any other country — as well as employing 80,000 American workers.

The report finds that nine states now rely on wind power for more than 12 percent of their total annual electricity consumption.

Wind power in Iowa, South Dakota and Kansas contributed more than 20 percent of their total annual electricity consumption. Additionally, Texas added over 1,800 megawatts of wind power last year, more than any other state. On a cumulative basis, Texas remains a clear leader with over 12 GW installed at the end of 2012 — more than twice as much as California, the next-highest state.

Screen view from the video

The report also finds that distributed wind in the U.S. reached a 10-year cumulative installed capacity of more than 812 megawatts (MW) at the end of 2012 – representing more than 69,000 units across all 50 states. Between 2011 and 2012, U.S. distributed wind capacity grew by 175 MW, with about 80 percent of this growth coming from utility-scale installations. At the state level, Iowa, Massachusetts, California and Wisconsin led the nation in new distributed wind power capacity in 2012.

The wind sector’s growth underscores the importance of continued policy support and clean energy tax credits to ensure that wind manufacturing and jobs remain in America. The 2012 Wind Technologies Market Report expects 2013 to be a slow year for new capacity additions, due in part to continued policy uncertainty and project development timelines. While the report notes that 2014 is expected to be more robust, as developers commission projects that will begin construction in 2013, it also notes that projections for 2015 and beyond are much less certain.

After watching the video, make sure to checkout the report in its entirety at energy.gov/windreport.

Google+ Hangout on wind energy in America

The Energy Department hosted a special Google+ Hangout on wind energy in America. Check out the video where viewers asked the experts how wind energy projects, technologies and policies are driving U.S. leadership in this competitive industry.