How has wind power changed over the last year?

U.S. wind capacity increased steadily over the last several years, more than tripling from 47.0 GW in 2010 to 147.5 GW at the end of 2023. Electricity generation from wind turbines also grew steadily, at a similar rate to capacity, until 2023.

How much did wind power drop in 2023?

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), and the Southwest power pool recorded wind power drops of 2.3%, 8.9% and 1.3% respectively in the first eight months of 2023 from the same period in 2022, LSEG data shows.

What if wind generation is lower than expected?

The lower wind generation raises questions over grid stability as more renewables come online. What will fill the gap if wind or solar is lower than expected and demand for power is surging? Typically, when wind generation falls, gas power plants fill the gap, although this is slowly changing as battery storage deployment grows across the country.

How much wind does the US generate in 2023?

Data from our Power Plant Operations Report show that U.S. wind generation in 2023 totaled 425,235 gigawatthours (GWh), 2.1% less than the 434,297 GWh generated in 2022. U.S. wind capacity increased steadily over the last several years, more than tripling from 47.0 GW in 2010 to 147.5 GW at the end of 2023.

Why did wind power fall last year?

Slower breezes weakened wind generation across the country last year, leading to the first decline in output in almost three decades. The wind is blowing slower these days in the US. Wind power fell last year for the first time since the 1990s, despite new installed capacity, the Energy Information Administration reported last week.

Is 2023 a good year for wind power?

But Matthew Hendrickson, chief executive of advisory firm Hendrickson Renewables, added a caveat: despite lower output, 2023 remains the second-best year for wind power. “There’s a swing from a really good year to a slightly below-average year,” Hendrickson said.