New EIA report shows wind power pulls its weight

A new report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) found that wind and solar generated over 20 percent of the total electricity in 10 states last year. This offers yet another data point that renewables like wind power have become an important part of America’s electricity mix.

The 10 states include Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, North Dakota, Vermont, California, Maine, Colorado, and Minnesota. Together, they represent a diverse sample of Lower 48 states running on more affordable, reliable, clean energy than ever before.

In many of these states, wind power is the driving force behind the growing share of renewable energy. Iowa, South Dakota, Oklahoma and Kansas all generate at least 30 percent of their electricity using wind.

Wind makes up at least 13 percent of electricity generation in 9 of the 10 states, with only California below that mark. Overall, a whopping 14 states generate at least 10 percent of their electricity using wind, proof that it’s an increasingly reliable resource for millions of American families and businesses.

Notably absent from EIA’s report is Texas.

The Lone Star State is the largest wind producer in the country, with nearly three times as much installed wind  as runner-up Oklahoma. In 2017, wind produced nearly 15 percent of the state’s electricity, a notable achievement for America’s largest energy consumer. That is the equivalent of powering 6,235,000 American homes. Wind also helped carry Texas through the hot summer months of peak demand.

EIA’s report offers further proof that tapping into our abundant, natural wind resource is a dependable way to produce affordable, clean energy. As wind becomes a larger share of the U.S. electricity mix, more and more Americans will experience the many benefits of wind power, from the job creation and economic development to purer air.