10. Wind
E. Wind Energy in the U.S. Electricity Supply
Until 1970, facilities powered by wind were small, isolated,
experimental, and/or disconnected from electric power networks. By
the end of 1990, wind electric generation capacity in the United
States had grown to 2,267 megawatts. In 1994, wind electric
generation capacity dropped to 1,745 megawatts, largely because of
the retirement of several wind turbines in California. The 1994
total was less than 2 percent of the total renewable electric
generating capacity of 94,826 megawatts and less than 0.3 percent
of U.S. total electric generating capacity in 1994. The American
Wind Energy Association estimates that wind electric generation in
the United States reached 3.5 billion kilowatthours in 1994, up
more than 25 percent from 1992-1993, and double the output of the
late 1980s. Among electric utilities, Pacific Gas & Electric is one
of the largest purchasers of wind-generated electricity. That
electricity is produced from 660 megawatts of
nonutility-owned nameplate capacity.(8)
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