U.S. Wind Power Could Hit 150 Gigawatts by 2020

[tinrobot]

A report from Emerging Energy Research, a cleantech consulting firm, points out that the U.S. is now the world's fastest growing market for wind power. Last year 5 gigawatts of wind power were installed, and 2008 will break the record again with 8 new gigawatts under construction. The U.S. will shortly be the world's largest producer of wind energy, surpassing Germany's 22 gigawatts.

If the rate of growth continues, and ideal wind energy areas are exploited, the report says we could hit 150 gigawatts of wind power by 2020! For those of you wondering how much power that is...the average coal plant produces about 800 megawatts of power. So this is enough to displace about 180 coal plants.


http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/2012/

[NMDemDist2]

1. how much of our total current usage is that? n/t

[jtrockville]

3. We now have capacity for ~1000 gigawatts

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/epat2p2.html

[tinrobot]

4. According to that chart...

...nuclear is at 101 GW.

Wind could surpass it in about 10 years... not bad.

[Codeine]

2. That's assuming

a lot lot of things. It won't play out quite that perfectly, I'm sure.