The U.S. added more new energy capacity from wind than any other source last year, and Texas was at the forefront of that trend.
In all, 42% of new electricity generation capacity in the U.S. last year came from land-based wind energy — more than from any other source. That’s according to data in a series of reports released this week by the U.S. Department of Energy.
By contrast, solar amounted to only 38% of new capacity last year.
Texas, the nation’s leader in wind capacity, played no small role in those data, as construction for wind energy in the Lone State hit an all-time high.
Texas installed the most land-based wind capacity in 2020, with 4,137 megawatts. The state’s total capacity now stands at 32,686 MW, and nearly 20% of its electricity now comes from wind.
Patrick Gilman, Program Manager for Wind Energy Technologies in the energy department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, said Texas remains a low-cost market and is able to attract growth because it has increased its transmission capacity in recent years.
The energy department’s reports also said prices for wind turbines have sharply declined, from $1,800 per kilowatt in 2008 to $770 to $850 per kW today.