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For over a decade, wind energy has been the fastest growing energy technology worldwide, achieving an annual growth rate of over 30 percent. In the United States, the current total installed capacity is approximately 19,500 MW of wind projects. Approximately 330 MW of this installed capacity is located on Federal lands in the western U.S. managed by BLM. Wind energy project development in the Great Plains and the Midwest was particularly strong, tapping into the large wind resource there. Factors contributing to this boom include state legislative requirements for greater use of wind power, the falling cost of wind energy, and the benefits of wind energy in competitive utility markets. Wind energy accounts for 6 percent of renewable electricity generation and 0.1 percent of total electricity supply. However, advances by research labs, universities, utilities, and wind energy developers have cut wind energy's costs by more than 80 percent during the last twenty years. The industry is poised for continued growth. In the U.S., abundant energy potential can be found in the Northeast, the Great Plains, and the West. In addition, developers are evaluating the potential for offshore wind energy production on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. Links:BLM
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Wind power uses the naturally occurring energy of the wind for practical purposes like generating electricity, charging batteries, or pumping water. Wind turbines capture the kinetic energy in the wind, converting it into electrical energy. Utility-scale turbines are mounted on tall towers, usually 200 feet or more above the earth's surface where the wind is faster and less turbulent. In utility-scale power applications, anywhere from one or two to several hundred turbines are connected to the utility grid, providing electricity when the wind blows.