Despite Economic Slump, U.S. Adds 1,649 MW of Wind Energy in Third Quarter

11 by Timothy Hurst on October 21, 2009

Despite the economic recession and the resulting slump in the renewable energy sector, the wind energy industry added 1,649 megawatts (MW) of new capacity to the U.S. grid in the third quarter of 2009, the American Wind Energy Association reported Tuesday.

The new capacity—enough to serve the equivalent of 480,000 average households and an amount higher than both the 2nd quarter of 2009 or the 3rd quarter of 2008—brings the total capacity added to the U.S. grid this year to date to over 5,800 MW. But industry representatives expressed cautious optimism.

“Wind power installations are up, and that is good news for America’s economy, environment, and energy security,” said AWEA CEO Denise Bode in a statement Tuesday. "But manufacturing, which has the potential to employ many more Americans in good, clean energy jobs, remains uncertain"

Bode said that the U.S. still needs a firm, long-term national commitment to renewable energy "to become a wind turbine manufacturing powerhouse and create hundreds of thousands of jobs.”

Since the Obama administration announced rules to implement the stimulus bill in July, the resulting wind industry projects equate to about $6.5 billion in new investment, according to AWEA.

The state posting the fastest growth rate in the third quarter was Arizona, which installed its first utility-scale project. Pennsylvania ranked 2nd in growth, followed by Illinois, Wyoming and New Mexico.

Of all the states, Texas added the most wind—436 MW—in the third quarter, and maintains its position as the top wind power producing state in the U.S.

The total wind power capacity now operating in the U.S. is over 31 gigawatts, enough electricity to power the equivalent of nearly 9 million homes.

Image: tuey

http://www.reddit.com/user/vonderbish vonderbish

Not as good as last year, but considering the global economy, not bad at all!

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http://www.reddit.com/user/justinjest justinjest

Who is adding the capacity and where? Is it small operators or big utilities?

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http://www.reddit.com/user/clausy clausy

I’m paying an extra cent per KWh in connecticut for wind power. That forces them to source it from somewhere local. Costs me an extra $10 a month. It’s a shame it’s voluntary… Not saying it’s the answer, but it all helps.

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http://www.reddit.com/user/kubutulur kubutulur

In order to come up with new ways of counting noise, we decided to invest in wind power!

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http://www.reddit.com/user/lowrads lowrads

Is the US still the leading exporter of electric motors?

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http://www.reddit.com/user/sgnmarcus sgnmarcus

1.65 GW sounds cooler

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http://www.reddit.com/user/DougDante DougDante

Jump to the conclusions if you don’t want to see the numbers. 2008 total US MW @end: 25,300 MW (Megawatts) 2008 total US wind power generated: 52 million MWh (Megawatt Hours) as a % of all power generated in US in 2008: 1.26% Wind power growth rate in 2008: 50% Source: [American Wind Energy Annual Report 2008](http://www.awea.org/publications/reports/AWEA-Annual-Wind-Report-2009.pdf) Conservative full year estimate of new wind energy for 2009: 5,800 MW * 4/3 = 7,733 MW (Expect larger than this). Total: 25,300 MW + 7,733 MW = 33,033 MW Ratio 2009 expected MW to 2008 MW: (33,033 / 25,300 ) = 1.30 Estimated wind power growth rate in 2009: 30% Estimated 2009 total US wind power: 52 million MWh (Megawatt Hours) * 1.3 = 67.6 Estimated wind power % of all generation: 1.26% * 1.3 = 1.6% Total US electric generation in 2007: 4,156,745 Total US electric generation in 1997: 3,492,172 [Energy Information Administration](http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/epates.html) Growth rate in total US electric generation: 1.76% ~= 2% Years until 50% power at 30% growth rate: Year of majority wind power at current growth rate: 2009 + 14 = 2023 Years until 50% wind power at 50% growth rate: < 9 years. Years until 50% wind power at 30% growth rate: < 14 years. Years until 50% wind power at 20% growth rate: < 21 years Years until 50% wind power at 10% growth rate: < 45 years Conclusions: So long as we can sustain our slower 30% growth rate, or even if we fall in a year or two to an even slower 20% growth rate in wind power, we can have a majority wind power electrical system in less than 20 years. If we can return to a 50% growth rate in wind power, and sustain it, we can have a majority wind power electrical system in less than 10 years.

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http://www.reddit.com/user/justinjest justinjest

Excellent. Thanks for the numbers, DougDante.

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http://diysolarpowersystem.info/ Delia Ann Kennedy

Until solar power goes micro, and until folk can make and install their own DIY solar power systems at home, there is no hope for alternative energy sources to really make a dent in the demand for fossil fuels and dangerous nuclear power.