Wind Energy Produces At Least 10% Of Electricity In Nine States

[kristopher]

Wind Energy Produces At Least 10% Of Electricity In Nine States
by NAW Staff on Wednesday 13 March 2013

Wind energy generation rose 17% and constituted 3.5% of total U.S. electricity produced in 2012, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) reports.

Wind energy made up at least 10% of generation in nine states last year, up from five states in 2011, AWEA says, citing data from the Energy Information Administration. Iowa and South Dakota reached generation levels greater than 20% throughout 2012. In a total of 14 states, wind energy represented 5% or more of total generation.

Iowa ranked first in the percentage of electricity that came from wind power, with 24.5%. South Dakota was second, with 23.9% generation from wind energy, followed by North Dakota (14.7%), Minnesota (14.3%), Kansas (11.4%), Colorado (11.3%), Idaho (11.3%), Oklahoma (10.5%) and Oregon (10.0%).

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http://www.nawindpower.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.11240#.UUOf5I4yHdk

[emmadoggy]

1. Yay Iowa!

There is a huge wind farm in the backyard of my hometown that stretches for miles.

[progressoid]

5. We even use them as art at our rest stop!

[emmadoggy]

6. Where is that?!

That's cool!

[progressoid]

7. Westbound I-80 rest area, located between Adair and Casey

http://www.radioiowa.com/2012/01/25/wind-turbine-to-serve-as-sculpture-at-i-80-rest-area/

Looks like they have some neat little picnic areas that are stylized like old fashioned wind mills. I haven't stopped in, but have seen it from the interstate.

[emmadoggy]

8. It looks pretty new.

I haven't been on that stretch of I-80 for several years. I don't think it was there the last time I went through. However, it does seem oddly familiar though and I'm wondering if there was something similar up on I-90 in SW Minnesota. We went to the Black Hills last summer and there's a windfarm that you pass through in that area. Maybe I'm just imagining it, but I remember a rest stop that had something unique like this. I might have to look that up.

Very cool.

[emmadoggy]

9. Must have been my imagination.

I can't find anything about a rest stop like that on I-90. Hmmm.

[Mnemosyne]

2. Sadly, I doubt Pennsylvania will ever be close to being on that list. K&R nt

[kristopher]

3. I wouldn't be too sure of that.

A recent comprehensive study of the PJM service area ("P" stands for Penn.) based on years of real world recorded met data found that the most cost effective solution for moving away from fossils was heavily weighted to wind. There is a lot more potential than you might think.

[Mnemosyne]

4. I have seen a few farm mills, even less solar panels. I so hope you are right and we sway in the

wind in the near future. Most teabaggers/right wingers around here, and there are many, are cheap if nothing else, well, besides being bigots and racists.

I know we also have legislation introduced for MMJ, which do you think stands a better chance?