Wind Turbines Provide 8% of U.S. Generating Capacity, More than Any Other Renewable Source

May 2, 2017

The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that wind generators accounted for 8% of the operating electric generating capacity in the United States in 2016, more than any other renewable technology. Wind turbines have contributed more than one-third of the nearly 200 gigawatts of utility-scale electricity generating capacity added since 2007. The increase in wind development in the United States over the past decade reflects a combination of improved wind turbine technology, increased access to transmission capacity, state-level renewable portfolio standards, and federal production tax credits and grants.