Texas leads US in wind power production

Produces 3x more than Iowa

Steve Hawley, Nov 04, 09.

Texas leads the United States in wind power, and it is also adding more capacity than any other state, according to the Houston Business Journal.

Texas added 436 megawatts of wind power in the third quarter of 2009, far more than the next state, Oregon, which added 251 megawatts. Other states that added significant capacity include Illinois, Colorado, and Wyoming. Overall, Texas generates almost 8,800 megawatts of power from wind. That is nearly three times the amount of the next closest state, Iowa, which produces 3,053 megawatts. The other top producers include California, Minnesota, and Oregon.

Overall, the US wind sector has added over 5,800 megawatts of capacity this year, bringing total production to 31,000 megawatts. Industry officials attribute much of the increase this year to provisions in the stimulus package. However, the Business Journal reports that manufacturing of new wind turbines still has not met 2008 levels.