Looking at where wind power stood in 2003 and where it stands in 2013 drives home its astonishing climb to become today a major industry.
During 2003, wind generated 11.1 billion kilowatt-hours in the USA or enough for approximately 1.1 million homes, assuming a household consumption of 10,000 kilowatt-hours per year.
http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.cfm?t=epmt_1_01_a
Wind generated 140 billion kilowatt-hours in 2012 and is on course to produce 170 billion kilowatt-hours or enough for 17 million homes. Wind generation has had a phenomenal decade, increasing production by more than 15 times since 2003.
Total electricity produced in the USA exceeds 4 trillion kilowatt-hours and wind will account for a bit more than 4% of the total this year. Wind continues grow and will reach the 5% milestone by 2015.
That's big business and mighty wind.
All acheived thanks to State renewable portfolio standards (RPS).
ReplyDeleteIf the state applies coercion and tells us: "you must use wind", we comply and use it. It's nothing to be happy about...