EIA finds wind generation decrease due to slow winds
The U.S Energy Information (EIA) announced on Thursday that U.S. wind generation slowed last year due to lowered wind speeds and wind generation during the first half of the year, according to the organization’s Electric Power Monthly report.
U.S. wind generation grew by 5.1 percent between 2014 and 2016, the smallest increase in generation since 1999. The total wind energy produced last year total 191 terawatthours, making up 4.7 percent of U.S. net electric power generation. While generation grew marginally, the increase resulted in a spike in total net U.S. power generation by an increase of 0.3 percent.
Wind generation was the second-largest source of clean, renewable energy in 2015, with hydroelectricity the largest source. A total of 11 U.S. states reported wind generation accounting for more than 10 percent of total electricity generation last year.
The EIA report also found that wind capacity grew significantly in the country by 12.9 percent, higher than rates in 2013 and 2014. Last year, U.S. wind capacity grew by 8.1 gigawatts, accounting for 41 percent of all capacity additions. The U.S. wind capacity total is at 73 gigawatts, according to the report.
The EIA expects wind generation to increase by 16 percent this year because of continual increases in wind capacity, technology and wind turbine performance.
