This post is the public version of the AWEA Q3 report.
It’s a new day for the wind industry. Several utilities have announced plans to develop and own 3,040 MW of wind capacity during the third quarter, contributing to a total of 8,840 MW in utility announcements made since the beginning of 2016.
The U.S. wind industry reported 29,634 megawatts (MW) of wind capacity under construction or in advanced development as of the end of the third quarter of 2017, a 27% year-over-year increase and the highest level reported since AWEA began tracking both categories at the beginning of 2016. Utilities announced new plans to develop and own 3,040 MW of wind capacity during the third quarter, and project developers announced 1,337 MW of power purchase agreements (PPA) signed. Six corporate customers signed PPAs during the third quarter, accounting for 62% of total project capacity contracted. Project developers installed 534 MW during the third quarter, bringing year-to-date installations to 2,892 MW. There are now 84,944 MW of installed wind capacity in the United States.
A few key takeaways include:
2017 wind project installations
- The U.S. wind industry installed 534 MW of wind capacity during the third quarter, bringing year-to-date installations to 2,892 MW.
- Four states deployed a total of 243 turbines across five project phases. Texas led with 402 MW installed, followed by Indiana (100 MW), New Mexico (30 MW), and California (2 MW).
- There are now 84,944 MW of installed wind capacity in the United States, with more than 52,000 wind turbines operating in 41 states plus Guam and Puerto Rico.
- GE Renewable Energy, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, and Vestas installed a combined 98% of the 2,892 MW commissioned during the first three quarters of the year. New analysis on page 20 details turbine technology trends, including a preference for increased rotor diameters and rated capacities.
Wind capacity under construction or in advanced development
- There are now 13,759 MW under construction and 15,875 MW in advanced development. The combined 29,634 MW represents a 27% year-over-year increase, the highest level reported since AWEA began tracking both categories at the beginning of 2016.
- Project developers announced 638 MW in new construction activity and 4,248 MW in new advanced development activity, a combined 4,886 MW.
- Consistent with the previous quarter, 30% of combined activity is located in the Midwest. An additional 23% is located in Texas, followed by the Mountain West states (20%) and the Plains states (18%).
- Virginia has a wind project in advanced development for the first time, with Dominion’s announcement to partner with DONG Energy to develop and own the two-turbine, 12 MW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project. When completed, Virginia will become the 42nd state with utility-scale wind capacity.
Wind power procurement activity
- Utilities announced new plans to develop and own 3,040 MW of wind capacity during the third quarter, contributing to a total of 8,840 MW in utility announcements made since the beginning of 2016. Four utilities represent 94% of this total activity.
- New announcements include AEP’s 2,000 MW Wind Catcher project in Oklahoma and Alliant Energy’s 500 MW New Wind II project in Iowa.
- Project developers signed 1,337 MW of PPAs during the third quarter, contributing to a total of 4,697 MW of PPAs signed for the year. PPA volume year-to-date is outpacing each of the last three years.
- Corporate customers represent 62% of total project capacity contracted during the third quarter (823 MW). Anheuser-Busch, Cummins, JPMorgan Chase, and Kimberly-Clark all signed U.S. wind PPAs for the first time. Non-utility customers have signed more than 6,460 MW of PPAs historically to date.
- Four requests for proposals (RFP) were released during the third quarter for up to 3,970 MW of wind-eligible capacity, including PacifiCorp’s request for up to 1,270 MW of wind-specific capacity.
For the rest of the public version of the AWEA report: https://goo.gl/ZMdAa3
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