Wind Energy In Texas: Powerful Or Not?

On Oct. 26, the U.S. Energy Information Administration released a report challenging the view that Texas is a leader in wind power production. According to the report, Texas lagged far behind Midwest and Plains states in 2015 in utilizing wind energy as a percentage of total net electricity generation. Iowa, South Dakota and Kansas led the survey, with a 31 percent, 25 percent and 24 percent share of wind energy as a percentage of total net generation, respectively. Texas came in 12th nationally, with a share of 9.9 percent. Such a ranking, however, is misleading.

First, notwithstanding its ranking, Texas is still the highest wind electricity-producing state in the nation, making up 24 percent of the national total wind generation. Texas's total wind electricity production – and share as a percentage of total net generation – is also expected to continue to rise in the coming years. Indeed, on Nov. 29, Spanish wind energy giant Gamesa announced that it was awarded a