In a noteworthy shift, wind power electricity production in the United States experienced a decline in 2023, marking the first downturn since the mid-1990s, according to data from the American Energy Information Administration (EIA).
A 2.1% Dip in Production
Wind power production in the United States registered 425.2 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2023, approximately 2.1% less than the previous year’s figure of 434.3 TWh, as detailed in the EIA’s Power Plant Operation Report.
Despite this decline, the EIA emphasizes that the industry witnessed the deployment of nearly 6.2 gigawatts (GW) of new wind capacity last year, pushing the total installed capacity of the U.S. wind fleet to 147.5 GW by the close of 2023.
While wind production had been steadily increasing in recent years, mirroring capacity expansion rates, the capacity factor of the U.S. wind fleet dropped to 33.5% in 2023, marking its lowest level in the past 8 years, down from 35.9% in 2022.
Weaker Winds Following a Highly Favorable 2022
The decline in wind production in 2023 is attributed to weaker wind conditions, particularly notable in the latter half of the first six months of the year.
For instance, U.S. wind production witnessed a significant 24% drop in May 2023 compared to May 2022.
In contrast, wind conditions were exceptionally favorable in 2022, leading to a notable 15% increase in U.S. wind production compared to 2021.
Consequently, 2023 production remained approximately 12% higher than the 2021 level.
The EIA underscores that the decline in wind production in 2023 was not evenly distributed across the U.S. territory, with the most pronounced decreases observed in the Upper Midwest region, encompassing states such as Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
Production Growth in Texas
However, it is important to note that wind production increased in certain U.S. states, notably in Texas, which saw a 4.4% rise in 2023.
Texas boasts the largest wind fleet in the country, with 40.7 GW of installed capacity by the end of 2023, accounting for 28% of the national total.
The EIA also interprets the decline in U.S. wind production as a sign of “maturity after decades of rapid growth.”
Wind power contributed nearly 10.3% to U.S. electricity production in 2023, compared to 10.2% in 2022. Overall electricity production saw a 1.2% decrease last year, driven not only by the decline in wind production but also by reductions in hydroelectric contributions and a substantial drop in coal-fired power plant production.
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