12 U.S. states account for 80 percent of wind power

WASHINGTON, April 16 (UPI) -- 12 states combined to account for 80 percent of all the electricity generated from wind power last year, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said.

EIA released wind data showing Texas was the top wind energy producer, with 36 million megawatt hours of electricity generated last year. Iowa was second with 15 million MWh. In total, 12 states combined to produce 134 million MWh of electricity from wind in 2013, the EIA said.

According to the American Wind Energy Association, wind energy has grown at an average rate of 30 percent during the past five years.

The EIA said Tuesday that, nationwide, 167 million MWh of electricity came from wind energy last year -- a 19 percent increase from 2012. In total, wind energy increased its share of total U.S. power generation from 3.5 percent in 2012 to 4.1 percent last year.

Iowa led the nation in terms of wind energy's share of electricity on the grid with 27.4 percent, followed by South Dakota with 26 percent.

For renewable energy in general, President Obama in December ordered federal agencies to have 20 percent of their electricity needs met by renewable sources by 2020.

[EIA] [AWEA]