Full Title: 2010 Cost of Wind Energy Review
Author(s):
Publisher(s): U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date: April 1, 2012
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Description (excerpt):
In 2010, wind energy generated more than 2% of U.S. electricity, with some states generating more than 10% of their power from wind. The United States installed 5,116 megawatts (MW) of wind (American Wind Energy Association, AWEA 2011), which was one-quarter of all new electric capacity additions for that year. Wind energy capacity additions trailed the 6,000 MW of new coal and 7,200 MW of new natural gas additions in 2010 (Wiser and Bolinger 2011). With today’s economic downturn, decision-makers are weighing the costs of different electric- generation resources with careful scrutiny. It is vital that we understand what those costs include and do not include when comparing technologies, analyzing the costs of wind energy over time, and seeking cost-improvement opportunities.