Yesterday, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) released its latest research, the 2017 U.S. Wind Industry Annual Market Report. The new report shows that New Mexico added wind power capacity at a faster rate than any other state last year.
Wind power generated a record 6.3% of U.S. electricity in 2017, with big support from New Mexico. The state added wind power capacity at a faster rate than any other one in the country last year.
New Mexico U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Representatives Steve Pearce, Ben Ray Luján, and Michelle Lujan Grisham have issued the following joint statement hailing the new report.
“We are proud to represent a state that is advancing American energy production, adding 570 megawatts of wind capacity in 2017. Today, there are 1,682 MW installed across the state – that’s over 1,000 turbines. Our state is a rising leader for wind power producing over 13% of our electricity generation from wind annually, enough to power over 422,000 average homes.
“Wind means jobs, investment and rural development for our state. Wind power creates high-skill careers—just ask any of the more than 3,000 New Mexicans already working in the industry. Our existing wind farms represent nearly $3 billion in private capital investment to date, and new drought-proof revenue for farmers and ranchers in rural communities.
“Wind is also helping to diversify New Mexico’s energy supply and our economy. Utilities, manufacturers and tech companies want to buy New Mexico’s wind power because its low-cost and stable price makes good business sense. Access to renewable energy, including abundant wind resources, was a key consideration when Facebook decided to invest $1 billion to triple the size of its New Mexico data center.
“We are proud of our state’s tremendous advancement in wind energy. New Mexico will continue to be at the forefront of America’s wind energy success story. And we will continue to work in Congress to grow our country’s energy potential and to modernize our essential transmission grid.”
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