The U.S. wind industry’s 2011 Annual Market Report reports that wind power is at the heart of an American success story, ending another strong year of double-digit growth, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). The market report illustrates how wind power has created a positive feedback loop where market certainty allows for states to generate affordable electricity from wind at record levels. This leads to one of the U.S.’s fastest growing sources of made-in-the-USA manufacturing jobs, which then allows the cost of wind to drop even further.
South Dakota and Iowa lead a record five states that received more than 10% of their electricity from wind in 2011. Seven states have at least 4,000 wind jobs apiece; the list shows the industry’s geographic reach, stretching from Iowa to Texas to Illinois, Ohio, Colorado, California and Michigan. Meanwhile, Kansas’ position at the top of the list for under construction wind projects is setting the stage for a strong 2012.