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Investments in and development of wind power in the US are very unevenly distributed. That is shown in four animated maps at Vox in their article, the stunningly lopsided growth of wind power in the US, in 4 maps. They explore why a huge swath of the country has almost no wind turbines at all.
[...] The major driver to invest in wind in many states is renewable portfolio standards, which mandate a minimum amount of electricity to come from renewable sources, like hydroelectric, wind, solar, and geothermal power plants. While federal incentives like the production tax credit, which benefits wind energy installations, apply across the country, state-level programs make a major difference on the ground.
“The states that have stronger RPSs are the places where you see renewables being deployed more actively,” said Ian Baring-Gould, a technology deployment manager at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. “In places that don’t have RPSs, the utilities don’t have as much motivation to develop renewables.”
Take a wild guess which states don’t have RPSs
Wind speeds are not even around the country, so turbine distribution is not expected to be either. However, there is a long way to go before the turbine distribution reaches parity with the potential.
(Score: 2) by Appalbarry on Monday May 07 2018, @01:07AM (3 children)
Am I too late to argue that even though countries in Europe are having a great success with wind power, you can't say that it would work in North America because [mumble mumble] is so different here?
(Never have been entirely clear how North American wind is significantly different from European wind.)
Or am I supposed to start first by "informing" people that wind generators don't make power when the wind isn't blowing.
Oh what the hell. They kill birds and cause brain damage due to EMF or vibrations or something.
(When I was a kid we made power the old fashioned way, by flying a kite in a thunderstorm, Kids these days...)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 07 2018, @02:00AM
It mostly comes down to population distribution. Where the power is needed is not necessarily where the wind is. There is also major political aspects to it as well. For example Texas is neither an importer or exporter of electricity. It is self sufficient. It is also one of the larger users of wind power. The state I live in is part of a 8 state power grid. Not connected to the rest of the united states. You may think it is all one grid. It is thousands and thousands of smaller ones. Some owned by states. Some owned by companies. So owned by co-ops. Some regulated by particular laws others not. You can for example generate thousands of MW in Wyoming. The problem is Wyoming is a fairly small population state. The states where the population is already has built power plants that they need close by (for technical and legal reasons).
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 07 2018, @07:44AM (1 child)
the US is 3 or 4 power distribution zones that are not interconnected. "ooo interconnect them all!" uh no fk that... and I'n not even in the Texas grid.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 07 2018, @07:51AM
and y'all in New England should get that great negotiator in the White House go to get better terms from Trudeau up north... or build more coal power plants, so many, that we can then sell Ontario & Quebec power at a 10th of what they sell it at to the US.