The state that generates much more renewable energy than any other
By Dan Gearino 03/09/23
Here’s a state-by-state tally of the leaders and laggards for wind, solar and other renewable energy in 2022.
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WIND
Humans have been harnessing wind power for millennia, with windmills originally relying on wind to pump water or mill flour. Today’s wind turbines work similarly, with their large blades generating electricity as wind causes them to rotate. As these blades are pushed by the wind, a connected internal shaft that is attached to an electric generator also turns and generates electricity. Wind power is one of the safest sources of energy and relies on one key factor: wind speeds. Unsurprisingly, the majority of America’s onshore wind turbine infrastructure is located in the middle of the nation, where wind speeds are highest.
Today, wind power is the most productive renewable energy source in America, generating nearly half of its renewable energy. In 2022, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA),renewable energy sources accounted for about 20.1% of all electricity generated (primarily from wind, solar & hydropower) --of which 9.2.% was from wind, up from 8.4% in 2019. By 2021, the top five wind-generating states, Texas, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas and Illinois, were generating more than half of all America’s wind energy. For a look at how states compare in terms of utility-scale wind generation, take a look here. There are ten states, located primarily in the southeast, with no wind power facilities at all.
The growth of wind power has been astonishing – especially when you consider that wind energy only made up 0.2% of U.S. electricity generating capacity in 1990.
The U.S. is now investing more in a clean energy transition than any other country in the world except China --which has got us seriously beat.
Offshore wind is also evolving rapidly—go to our page learn about the incredible contributions to our energy stream it will add in the years to come.
CURRENT NEWS
KEY RESOURCES
Mapping U.S. Wind Electricity Generation by State
05/10/22
Wind power is the most productive renewable energy source in the U.S., generating nearly half of America’s renewable energy. America’s wind energy generating states are all primarily located in the Central and Midwest regions of…
How governments and businesses can supercharge decarbonisation
03/18/22
Taking the necessary action to stay within 1.5 °C is in essence neither a technology, nor an economic challenge. It's a leadership challenge. To enhance and deliver on the pledges made at COP26, immediate steps…
Supply Chain Contracting Forecast for U.S. Offshore Wind Power – The Updated and Expanded 2021 Edition
10/28/21
America's growing offshore wind power industry – now with a national target of generating 30 GW of clean, cost-effective power by 2030 – presents a $109 billion revenue opportunity to businesses in the offshore wind…
New York Bight Draft Proposed Sale Notice Summary for the New York Bight Intergovernmental Task Force Review
06/15/21
The purpose of this document is to outline the basic principles and major decision points BOEM is considering as it develops a Proposed Sale Notice (PSN) for the New York Bight. BOEM will convene the…
Offshore Wind for America
05/18/21
The United States currently relies heavily on fos-sil fuels to heat our homes, fuel our cars, power our machines and produce electricity, harming our health and our climate. Across the country, however, America is beginning…
South Fork
02/15/21
BOEM has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the South Fork Wind Farm and South Fork Export Cable Project. The following documents are available for your viewing.
2035 Report
10/01/20
Scientists say we must cut global carbon emissions in half by 2030 to avoid catastrophic climate impacts.
Doing what’s right for the Right whale
03/27/20
What good does it do to create a world running entirely on green energy if we harm the environment while doing it?
South Fork Wind Farm
03/05/20
The South Fork Wind Farm will produce enough clean, renewable energy every year to power 70,000 typical homes. It will help the Town of East Hampton meet its 100% renewable energy goal, and help New…
Sunrise Wind
03/05/20
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has selected Sunrise Wind to Authority (NYSERDA) has selected Sunrise Wind to negotiate an Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Crediit negotiate an Offshore Wind Renewable Energy…
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management: Atlantic OCS Region
03/05/20
Responsible development of the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) wind and wave energy resources is managed by the Office of Renewable Energy Programs. The Marine Mineral Program oversees the use of OCS non-energy sediment resources.…
Business Network for Offshore Wind
03/05/20
The offshore wind sector is expected to grow quickly over the next decade, boosted by a predicted $300 billion investment that will add an approximate 10GW to the nation’s current wind energy capacity.
New York State Offshore Wind
03/05/20
Offshore wind energy is poised to become a major source of affordable, renewable power for New York. As codified by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, the State is supporting the development of 9,000…
OFF-SHORE WIND IN EUROPE
02/28/20
This report summarises construction and financing activity in European offshore wind farms from 1 January to 31 December 2018.
Equinor Offshore Wind Projects
01/06/20
On July 18, 2019, New York State governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that Equinor had won the bid to develop the Empire Wind farm offshore New York.
Offshore Wind: A European Perspective
01/06/20
The offshore wind market is playing an increasingly important role in the United States’ energy discussions. The rst US o shore wind project, the Block Island Wind Farm, launched operations o the coast of Rhode…
Wind Solar Alliance
12/13/18
The Wind Solar Alliance (WSA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating the transition to renewable energy as a means of strengthening the U.S. economy and reducing the environmental impacts of our energy use.…
Windpower Monthly
12/13/18
Windpower Monthly is the leading news magazine of the international wind energy business. Fiercely protective of its independent status, the magazine provides balanced quality information on wind power and only wind power. Our focus is…
American Wind Energy Association
12/07/18
The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) is the premier national trade association that represents the interests of America’s wind energy industry - Together, with hundreds of our member organizations, we work to help drive wind…
Solar and wind energy enhances drought resilience and groundwater sustainability
11/13/19
Increased use of solar and wind energy can aid groundwater sustainability, an important aim for both taking on droughts as well as boosting sustainable agriculture.
MORE NEWS
U.S. approves major transmission line from Wyoming to Utah
By Nichola Groom 05/27/22
The Biden administration on Thursday gave final approval to a 416-mile electric transmission line that will help connect more wind and solar energy to the Western U.S. grid.
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LA Times Today: How wind energy could reshape the West
05/25/22
In his series, “Repowering the West,” L.A. Times’ Sammy Roth is taking us on a road trip through the western U.S. to explore the transition to clean energy.
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Distributed wind could supply more than half of US electricity but needs policy support, NREL study finds
By Emma Penrod 05/24/22
Distributed wind resources ranging from single wind turbines powering a private home, to community installations of up to 1 MW in size, could add nearly 1,400 GW to the U.S. power grid, more than half…
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Standing on the Continental Divide, where wind energy could reshape the West
By Sammy Roth 05/05/22
Reporting on clean energy from my kitchen table is one thing. Standing atop the Continental Divide — wind whipping at my face, construction workers grading roads nearby, pronghorn jogging across the sagebrush landscape — is…
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These whales are on the brink. Now comes climate change — and wind power.
By Dino Grandoni 04/21/22
About 17 nautical miles south of Nantucket, a half-dozen New England Aquarium researchers scrambled across this vessel’s icy deck. Clutching binoculars, clipboards and cameras, they strained to catch a glimpse and scribble notes about a…
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Study Finds Offshore Wind Could Drive Down Energy Costs in New England
By Laura Oleniacz 04/21/22
A new analysis led by North Carolina State University researchers found offshore wind power could help lower wholesale electricity prices on average for six states in New England, with relatively low risk of wind turbines…
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Offshore wind report says Delaware could procure power at less than half current cost
By Tom Byrne and Jon Hurdle 04/08/22
Delaware could buy offshore wind power at less than half the cost it currently pays for fossil fuel-powered electricity, after the health and climate impacts of the current supply are taken into account, according to…
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US wind energy just hit a major milestone
By Ella Nilsen 04/06/22
The United States set a major renewable energy milestone last Tuesday: wind power was the second-highest source of electricity for the first time since the Energy Information Administration began gathering the data.
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DOE takes stock of offshore wind supply chain, calls for 2,100 turbines to meet 30 GW goal
By Lulia Gheorghiu 03/31/22
The nascent offshore wind industry in the U.S. must install at least 2,100 turbines and foundations in order to meet federal deployment targets, according to a report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory released on…
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Ørsted completes onshore wind farm Haystack Wind in Nebraska
03/21/22
Located in Wayne County, Nebraska, Haystack Wind utilizes existing interconnection infrastructure in Southwest Power Pool (SPP) North from Ørsted's 230 MW onshore wind farm Plum Creek Wind, located nearby. Between the two projects, Ørsted has…
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Wind, solar could replace coal power in Texas
By Mike Williams 03/21/22
The new work led by environmental engineer Daniel Cohan and senior computer science major Richard Morse of Rice’s George R. Brown School of Engineering uses optimization modeling to identify the least-cost combinations of proposed wind…
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Wainscott Residents Sue to Stop Wind Cable
By Christopher Walsh 03/17/22
As construction of the onshore portion of the South Fork Wind farm proceeds in Wainscott, a lawsuit filed in United States District Court last week seeks to halt that work, claiming its potential to spread…
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Inside clean energy: explaining the record-breaking offshore wind sale
By Dan Gearino 03/03/22
After days of bidding, six companies emerged as winners last week in a record-breaking auction for the rights to develop offshore wind in federal waters off New York and New Jersey.
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Wind Farm Cable Work Begins In Wainscott
By Michael Wright 03/02/22
Ørsted contractors last week took the first major work on the installation of the conduit that will eventually conceal the South Fork Wind power cable beneath Wainscott roadways — the same day a judge dismissed…
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U.S. offshore wind bids soar past $3 bln, auction to continue Friday
By Nichola Groom 02/25/22
The Biden's administration's sale of offshore wind development rights off the coasts of New York and New Jersey surged past all expectations on Thursday to reach more than $3.3 billion, with bidding still not complete.
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U.S. offshore wind auction bids top $1.5 bln, with more to come
By Nichola Groom 02/24/22
The largest ever U.S. sale of offshore wind development rights - for areas off the coasts of New York and New Jersey - attracted a record $1.5 billion in bids on Wednesday, supporting President Joe…
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Largest US offshore wind lease auction attracts $4B
By Iulia Gheorghiu 02/24/22
The New York Bight leasing auction concluded after three days for a total of $4.37 billion in winning bids, the Interior Department announced.
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Engineers are building bridges with recycled wind turbine blades
By Maddie Stone 02/11/22
On a former train track bed connecting the towns of Midleton and Youghal in County Cork, Ireland, workers recently excavated the rusted remains of an old railway bridge and installed a pedestrian one in its…
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Groundbreaking Held For New York’s First Wind Farm Project
By Carolyn Gusoff 02/11/22
There was a milestone Friday in New York’s move toward clean energy. A groundbreaking was held in East Hampton for a major offshore wind project. It’ll be only the second in the nation.
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Offshore wind takes off at last. States have been counting on it.
By Alex Brown 02/07/22
The United States currently produces almost no electricity from wind farms in ocean waters. That’s about to change—fast.
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Offshore Wind Energy — Rich With Opportunity, For Oil Giants And Utilities Alike
By Ken Silverstein 01/24/22
Offshore wind energy is an untapped resource in the United States. But it is now being uplifted — the product of favorable policies by the Biden Administration and the desire by some producers to start…
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Biden’s offshore wind plan is also a jobs plan
By Neel Dhanesha 01/19/22
The United States’ struggling power grid is finally getting some major upgrades. Last week, the Biden administration announced a plan that, among other efforts, will aim to bring more sources of clean energy online and…
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South Fork Wind Receives Final Approval from the U.S. Department of Interior to Start Construction on New York’s First Offshore Wind Farm
01/19/22
South Fork Wind, New York’s first offshore wind farm, has received approval of the project’s Construction and Operations Plan (COP) from the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), which is…
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Contracts for Empire Wind 2 and Beacon Wind Projects are Finalized
01/19/22
NY Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the finalization of contracts between the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Empire Wind Offshore LLC and Beacon Wind LLC, each a 50-50 partnership between…
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LaGuardia Community College to launch offshore wind training
By Rachel Vick 01/19/22
LaGuardia Community College is preparing to support the next generation of green energy workers from Queens as part of New York State’s efforts to expand offshore wind production.
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Governor Hochul Announces Historic Wind Energy Auction Off New York And New Jersey Coast
01/12/22
Governor Kathy Hochul today in conjunction with United States Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler announced that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will…
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The first offshore wind lease sale under Biden is coming soon. Will the fishing industry intervene?
By Maxine Joselow and Alexandra Ellerbeck 01/11/22
The Interior Department is expected to greenlight the first offshore wind lease sale under President Biden as soon as this week, a move that would lower the nation's reliance on the fossil fuels that are…
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Commodities Buzz: US Installs More Wind Turbine Capacity In 2020 Than In Any Other Year
By IIFL Securities 12/29/21
The United States installed more wind turbine capacity in 2020 than in any other year, according to a latest update from the Energy Information Administration (EIA)
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Wainscott Residents Ask Court To Block January Start Of Wind Farm Construction
By Michael Wright 12/22/21
Attorneys for a group of Wainscott residents who are challenging the state’s approvals of the South Fork Wind power cable landing in the hamlet have asked a judge to block the early phases of the…
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Biden administration approves first offshore wind farm to supply power to New York
By Dino Grandoni 11/24/21
President Biden’s administration greenlit a major offshore wind project to supply power to New York, arriving as part of a broader push to build out renewable energy and tackle climate change.
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Another Yes for South Fork Wind Farm
By Christopher Walsh 11/24/21
The South Fork Wind farm took another step toward fruition on Monday when the New York State Public Service Commission approved its developers’ environmental management and construction plan.
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Inside clean energy: for offshore wind energy, bigger is much cheaper
By Dan Gearino 11/18/21
Consumers stand to win in the race to build larger offshore wind turbines, new research shows.
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Wind Farm Cable Will Run Deeper Under Wainscott Beach, Orsted Says
By Michael Wright 11/17/21
Representatives of Ørsted and Eversource, the companies that will be constructing the South Fork Wind farm off Montauk, told local residents this week that the final designs for the installation... more
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Could the US lead the world in floating offshore wind?
By Jason Deign 10/27/21
The U.S., long a bystander in the rapidly growing offshore wind market, could get a shot at global leadership after a federal announcement this month.
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‘Bloody expensive.’ Major U.S. offshore wind plan hits obstacles
By Heather Richards 10/20/21
Nearly 30 miles from shore, the two turbines spin deceptively slowly, alien steel giants fixed to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. But the lonely pair are just a hint of what Dominion Energy plans…
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Biden wants more wind energy. Those projects should help local politicians, our research finds.
By Oksan Bayulgen and Others 10/20/21
Despite Sen. Joe Manchin III’s (D-W.Va.) opposition to investing in clean energy in the Democrats’ signature social investment bill, the Biden administration has been steadily working to advance renewable energy. In January, he signed executive…
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Report: Offshore wind supply chain worth $109B over 10 years
By Wayne Parry 10/12/21
A group studying the economics of offshore wind energy in the U.S. says building and operating the nascent industry will be worth $109 billion to businesses in its supply chain over the next 10 years.…
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Recyclable Wind Turbine Blade Promises to End Wind Power Waste
By Eduardo Garcia 10/11/21
Siemens Gamesa, a leading wind turbine maker, has built what it claims to be the world’s first fully recyclable wind turbine blade, a major step toward reusing tens of thousands of blades. Wind turbines are…
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The World Wants Greenland’s Minerals, but Greenlanders Are Wary
By Jack Ewing 10/01/21
This huge, remote and barely habited island is known for frozen landscapes, remote fjords and glaciers that heave giant sheets of ice into the sea. But increasingly Greenland is known for something else: rare minerals.…
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U.S. Fishermen Are Making Their Last Stand Against Offshore Wind
By Alejandro de la Garza 09/30/21
A few hundred yards south of the fishing boat docks at the Port of New Bedford in southeastern Massachusetts, workers will soon start offloading gigantic turbine components onto a wide expanse of gravel. Local trawlers…
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New York City Is Betting Big on Offshore Wind Turbines
09/29/21
New York City is making a big investment in renewable energy that will literally change the city’s landscape. Last week, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced plans for a $191 million investment in offshore wind turbines…
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There’s enough wind to power the globe. But exactly how much do we need to catch to rein in carbon?
By Sarah DeWeerdt 09/28/21
Aggressive development of wind energy infrastructure now could reduce global warming by 0.3-0.8 °C at the end of the century, according to a new study. The findings indicate that wind-derived electricity cannot keep warming below…
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Mayor de Blasio Announces Offshore Wind Vision for New York City
09/23/21
Mayor de Blasio and New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) today announced a 15-year, $191 million Offshore Wind Vision (OSW) plan to make New York City a leading destination for the offshore wind industry.…
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In Midst of the Pandemic, U.S. Wind Power Industry Scores Record-Breaking Year
By Tina Casey 09/01/21
Between supply chain disruptions and labor shortages, the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc with various sectors in the construction industry. However, the increasing demand for wind power in the U.S. has outweighed other factors. Last…
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Record 2020 Wind Installations Represented 42% of New Power
By Ari Nattar 08/30/21
The U.S. installed a record amount of wind-generating capacity last year, adding nearly 17,000 megawatts of power on land, according to an Energy Department report being released Monday.
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Kiewit Will Build the First Offshore Wind Substation in the US
By Johanna Knapschaefer and Debra K. Rubin 08/28/21
A Kiewit Corp. unit will design and build the first U.S.-made offshore wind substation—a 1,500-ton, 60-ft-tall structure to be deployed for the 132-MW, 12-turbine South Fork wind farm that is set for construction off New…
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These electric submarines map the seafloor to make way for wind power
By Lora Kolodny 08/19/21
In March, the departments of Energy, Interior and Commerce said they were aiming for U.S. offshore wind capacity to hit 30 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, a hugely optimistic goal that would require thousands of new wind turbines…
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BOEM Completes Environmental Review of South Fork Wind Project
By OE Staff 08/17/21
The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has completed its environmental review of the proposed South Fork Wind project offshore New York and Rhode Island. South Fork Wind - proposed by Orsted and Evercore…
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How a federal agency is blocking America’s largest wind farm
By Sammy Roth 08/05/21
Way back in 2019, I asked an energy company owned by one of America’s richest individuals to alert me when they were down to one final landowner standing in the way of their plan to…
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US Wind Announces Major Offshore Wind Progress
By uswind_admin 08/03/21
Today, US Wind, Inc. (“US Wind”), Maryland’s leader in offshore wind development, announced major steps forward in the development of offshore wind energy for Maryland, including major labor agreements to support US Wind’s first major…
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