Wind power in the U.S. is exploding, and we want to show you some of this country’s best resources. For this post we are going to take a snapshot of what’s happening in the state of Kansas (being that it is the state where I was born). First, take a look at these graphics showing the change in American wind production from ‘02 to ‘07.
Capacity 2002
Capacity 2007
That 5 year span saw a huge growth in our total installed megawatts (MW), and if you are keeping up with the topic of new wind projects, you’ll know that there is much more coming online in the near future. For a zoomed in view of what is going on in the sunflower state, check this file.
The maps above and this Kansas map are all from 2007, but they still underscore the seriousness with which the country is taking to harnessing the wind. On the Kansas map there are over 2000 MW in proposed projects, and it is easy to understand why considering Kansas is number three in the country for wind energy potential. The top 5 states are:
#1 North Dakota
#2 Texas
#3 Kansas
#4 South Dakota
#5 Montana
If you watched the PickensPlan video, then you’ll know that we are the world wind superpower. And with an estimated $65 billion flowing into wind capacity through 2015, states like Kansas need to step up and get these projects rolling. We have to get to producing 20% of our electricity from wind as soon as possible if we’re going to follow Pickens’ blueprint, which is no short order since we aren’t expected to be close to that mark by 2020. How do we get there? What are the strategies? Kansas, do you have the answer?
