Wind generation potential in the United States



The wind generation potential in the United States far exceeds demand. North Dakota, the windiest state, has the capacity to install 200,000 MW at 50% capacity factor 100 m-high turbines. Texas, although not as windy, is larger, and has the capacity to install 250,000 MW at 50% capacity factor, and 1,757,355.6 MW of at least 35% capacity factor, capable of generating 6,696,500 GWh/year, more than all of the electricity generated in the United States in 2010.

There are only two states with no commercially significant wind power potential, Mississippi and Florida. Florida has the potential to install 900 MW at 25% capacity factor 100 m-high turbines, and Mississippi the potential to install 30,000 MW at 25% capacity factor 100 m-high turbines. For commercial operation, a capacity factor of at least 35% is preferred. There are no locations in either state that would achieve 30% capacity factor.

By the end of 2011, the United States had installed 46,919 MW of wind power, and generated 94,652 GWh of electricity from wind power in 2010.

The annual production of a wind turbine is a product of the capacity rating, the capacity factor, and the number of hours in a year. A 200 MW wind farm at 35% capacity factor will generate approximately 613.2 GWh/year.

In addition to the megawatt wind farms, community scale single wind turbines of from 250 kW to 750 kW are typically 50 meters high, and residential or farm wind turbines are typically 15 - 40 m high. To address these markets, maps are available showing wind potential at 30 m and  50 m.

The United States generated 4,125,060 GWh of electricity in 2010.

N/A = Not Available

NA = Not Applicable (no shoreline)

The United States has trailed other countries in the development of off-shore wind farms, and the first large-scale projects are under development in several states.