US wind power generation to decline in 2023

For the first time since the 1990s, annual energy production from wind turbines in the U.S. is expected to decline by 2023. Information is available on the website. Electr.

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Wind generation in the United States reached 425,235 gigawatt hours (GWh) in 2023, down 2.1% from the 434,297 GWh generated in 2022. Power plant operation reportFrom the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The decline in generation comes despite the country adding 6.2 gigawatts (GW) of new wind capacity by 2023. Over the past decade, the United States has experienced significant increases in wind power generation capacity. Between 2010 and 2023, the value tripled, rising from 47 GW to 147.5 GW.

Along with wind capacity, electricity production from wind turbines also grew strongly during these years.

Why, last year production decreased? The 2023 decline, the EIA says, “is due to the fact that wind energy is maturing as a generation source after decades of rapid growth.”

Another reason cited by the agency is a decrease in wind speed, which is expected to be slower than normal in 2023. This would have been a relevant factor, especially in the first half of the year, when wind production was down 14% compared to the first half. Year 2022. The El Nino weather pattern, which weakens the trade winds, certainly had an impact on this.

However, from August to December, wind power was higher in 2023 than in 2022, resulting in 2.4% more wind generation in 2023.

How was energy production by region?

In its wind energy generation census, the EIA divides U.S. states into regions, three of which represent about half of the U.S.’s installed wind capacity. A severe fall was observed in the central-western part of the country.

• The North Mideast region, which includes the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, saw a 6% decline.
• In the North-Midwest states of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota, the decline was 8%.
• The Mountain Census region, which covers Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, saw a 2% drop.

There were also census tracts that recorded growth: the Midwest and South had 3% more wind production in 2023, and the Pacific Coast had 1% more.

Wind generation in Texas, which has a wind generation fleet of 40.7 GW in the US, will grow by 4.4% in 2023. Installed wind capacity in Texas accounts for 28% of the national total.