Texas still rules US wind energy market

The state of Texas no longer an oil-loving state, it has in fact become one of nation's clean energy leaders, thanks to a rapid wind energy development. Texas still convincingly leads the way in US wind energy market by adding more wind energy capacity in 2012 than any other US state.

The official US Department of Energy report says that Texas added 1826 MW of new wind energy capacity in 2012. This growth in wind energy capacity played major role in US narrowly overtaking China and becoming the global leader in installed wind energy capacity in 2012.

At the end of 2012 Texas had a total of 12.214 MW of installed wind energy capacity. Gigantic wind turbines powered by mighty prairie winds are becoming a common sight in Texas. Wind energy today accounts for more than 8% of in state electricity generation.

The rapid wind energy development requires adequate transmission system and the Texas Competitive Renewable Energy Zone (CREZ) program includes close to 3600 miles of new transmission lines. Based on the current reports, large chunk of this program should be completed by the end of 2013. Once completed, this program will have costs of up to $9 billion and should enable a total of 18,500 MW of wind energy capacity with 66 wind energy projects included in the program.

It certainly seems like Texas is putting much of its clean energy eggs into wind energy basket. The low natural gas prices have become main competitor to wind energy within the state, though wind energy prices are also on the decline according to recent reports.

The other bonus of rapid wind energy development in Texas and the rest of the nation is that many wind turbine components are now being constructed inside the US borders, meaning that manufacturing can provide well paid jobs for many of US citizens.