wind energy

The U.S. experienced significant growth in wind electricity generation between 2000 and 2020, with wind turbines accounting for 8.4% of total utility-scale electricity generation. Research from Net Zero America's 'High Electrification (E+)' scenario suggests that by 2050, Texas could lead the country with over 180 gigawatts of installed capacity, while Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, and Nebraska could each exceed 100 gigawatts. Offshore wind potential is particularly high along the East Coast, with Environment America estimating a potential for over 7,200 terawatt-hours of electricity per year. The document also highlights job growth potential, noting that Texas could support over 130,000 wind energy jobs by 2050, and rural states like Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana, and Iowa could see more than 200 jobs per 10,000 residents.

• U.S. wind electricity generation grew from 6 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) in 2000 to approximately 338 billion kWh in 2020, and currently represents 8.4% of total utility-scale electricity generation.
• The U.S. has a vast untapped potential for offshore wind, primarily on the East Coast, which could produce over 7,200 terawatt-hours of electricity annually—nearly double the total U.S. electricity consumption in 2019.
• Under the Net Zero America 'High Electrification (E+)' scenario for reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, Texas is projected to lead with over 180 gigawatts of installed capacity, while Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, and Nebraska could each reach over 100 gigawatts.
• The transition to wind energy is expected to create significant employment, with Texas potentially supporting over 130,000 jobs by 2050 and rural states such as Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana, and Iowa potentially seeing more than 200 jobs per 10,000 residents.
• Future wind energy expansion depends on the development of new technology, transmission line infrastructure, and policies at the local, state, and federal levels.

APA

Climate Central (2021). wind energy. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/solutions-series-wind-energy-brief

Chicago

Climate Central. wind energy. 2021. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/solutions-series-wind-energy-brief.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Central |title=wind energy |date=19 May 2021 |url=https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/solutions-series-wind-energy-brief |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatecentral2021wind, author = {{Climate Central}}, title = {{wind energy}}, institution = {Climate Central}, year = {2021}, month = may, url = {https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/solutions-series-wind-energy-brief}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }