Wind power additions stalled last year with only 1,087MW of new capacity added, according to the 2013 Wind Technologies Market Report, released today by the DOE and its Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
The United States ranks second in installed wind power capacity in the world with 61GW of total capacity following modest growth in 2013, according to a Department of Energy (DOE) report.
All signals point to more robust growth in 2014 and 2015, said the report. With the industry’s primary federal support—the production tax credit (PTC)—only available for projects that had begun construction by the end of 2013, the next couple years will see those projects commissioned.
Near-term wind additions will also be driven by recent improvements in the cost and performance of wind power technologies.
GE captured 90% of US market share while Siemens came in a distant second with 8% of the 2013 buildout. Wind power now meets nearly 4.5% of electricity demand in an average year.
The report also found that wind energy prices – particularly in the Interior region of the United States – are at an all-time low at 2.5 cents/kWh, with utilities selecting wind as a cost-saving option.
“As a readily expandable, domestic source of clean, renewable energy, wind power is paving the way to a low-carbon future that protects our air and water while providing affordable, renewable electricity to American families and businesses,” said Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz.
“However, the continued success of the US wind industry highlights the importance of policies like the production tax credit that provide a solid framework for America to lead the world in clean energy innovation while also keeping wind manufacturing and jobs in the US.”
At the same time, turbines in distributed applications, which accounted for more than 80% of all wind turbines installed in the US last year, reached a cumulative installed capacity of more than 842MW, according to the 2013 Distributed Wind Market Report, also released today.
This capacity is supplied by roughly 72,000 turbines across all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.