Wind power is capable of becoming a major contributor to America’s electricity supply over the next three decades, according to the report, "20% Wind Energy by 2030: Increasing Wind Energy’s Contribution to U.S. Electricity Supply," recently released by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The technical report looks closely at one scenario for reaching 20% wind energy by 2030 and contrasts it to a scenario of no new U.S. wind power capacity.
"DOE's wind report is a thorough look at America's wind resource, its industrial capabilities, and future energy prices and confirms the viability and commercial maturity of wind as a major contributor to America's energy needs, now and in the future," says Andy Karsner, assistant secretary of energy efficiency and renewable energy for the DOE. "To dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance our energy security, clean power generation at the gigawatt scale will be necessary and will require us to take a comprehensive approach to scaling renewable wind power, streamlining siting and permitting processes, and expanding the domestic wind manufacturing base."
Included in the report are an examination of America’s technological and manufacturing capabilities, the future costs of energy sources, U.S. wind energy resources, and the environmental and economic impacts of wind development. Under the 20% wind scenario, installations of new wind power capacity would increase to more than 16,000MW per year by 2018 and continue at that rate through 2030.
