The US has more than 20 offshore wind projects in the pipeline with over 24GW of potential installed capacity, according to the Department of Energy (DoE).
Most projects are planned for the northeast Atlantic, but schemes are also in the pipeline in the southeast Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf of Mexico and Great Lakes, DoE said in one of three reports focussed on wind energy in the US.
The reports cover the onshore utility scale sector, offshore and distributed wind.
Overall, the US added more than 8.2GW of wind capacity in 2016, representing 27% of all new energy additions last year, DoE said.
Wind supplied 6% of US electricity last year, with 14 states receiving more than 10% of power from the sector and Iowa and South Dakota 30%, according to the reports.
DoE said some 40 states and Puerto Rico now operate utility-scale onshore projects, with Texas leading the way with more than 20GW installed.
The sector also supported some 101,738 jobs related to project development, siting, turbine manufacturing, transportation and other sectors last year, an increase of 32% from 2015.
Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Daniel Simmons said: “As our reports explain, a combination of federal subsidies, state mandates, and technological advancements continue to help drive new wind capacity additions.”
Image: Block Island offshore wind farm (Deepwater Wind)
US offshore pipeline ‘tops 24GW’
Energy department reports more than 20 projects planned currently
By EBS