Last week the American Wind Energy Association released its first quarter market report for 2011, revealing that the wind power industry installed 1,118 MW during the first quarter of the year alone and that Minnesota and Illinois are leading the charge in new installations.
Minnesota had 293 MW capacity additions, while Illinois saw 240 MW. In 2010, Minnesota ranked fourth in wind power additions, behind California, while Illinois ranked sixth.
Total wind capacity by state still puts Texas well ahead of the rest of the country. According to the AWEA market report, the top 10 states for total wind power are:
1. Texas: 10,135 MW
2. Iowa: 3,675 MW
3. California: 3,179 MW
4. Minnesota: 2,432 MW
5. Washington, 2,356 MW
6. Illinois: 2,286 MW
7. Oregon: 2,104 MW
8. Oklahoma: 1,482 MW
9. North Dakota: 1,424 MW
10. Wyoming: 1,412 MW