In a report released this week, by the American Wind Energy Association, it was revealed that the wind energy industry in the United States installed 2,836 megawatts of new generating capacity through the end of March, bringing total installed generating capacity in the country to 28,206 MW.

The national trade association for the wind energy industry in the U.S. issued its report Tuesday on projects that were completed in 15 states during first financial quarter of the year.

The newly installed capacity would power the equivalent of 816,000 homes, and the total generating capacity in the U.S. is now enough for more than 8 million homes, the organization said. The wind power in operation in the U.S. helps avoid 52 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, according to the group.

Although the volume of installations during first three months of the year is good news, it is tempered by the projection that further additions in generating capacity for the remaining nine months of the year will total 3,400 MW. In contrast, wind energy capacity in the U.S. grew by 8,358 MW last year, which represented a 50 percent jump in total capacity

“The nation still lacks the long-term signal that is needed to build up renewable energy on large scale,” said a statement from AWEA CEO Denise Bode, who has called for a national renewable electricity standard.

President Barack Obama’s energy and environment agenda includes increasing the production of renewable energy in the U.S. so that it doubles, reaching 10, by 2012 and grows to 25 percent by 2025.

In its report, the AWEA list the Q1 installation projects by size and location.

Kansas and New York each now have more than 1,000 MW of wind power generating capacity. As result of projects completed so far this year, nine states now have a wind energy operating capacity of the more than 1 gigawatt. Those states are

• Texas with 7,907 MW
• Iowa with 2,883 MW
• California with 2,653 MW
• Minnesota with 1,804 MW
• Washington with 1,479 MW
• Oregon with 1,363 MW
• New York with 1,261 MW
• Colorado with 1,068 MW
• Kansas with 1,014 MW

States with the most rapid growth in wind capacity in the first quarter include:

• Indiana, 75 percent
• Maine, 55 percent
• Nebraska, 53 percent
• Idaho, 49 percent
• New York, 34 percent

A pdf copy of the report is available here. To view a map of the projects, visit www.awea.org/projects.

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