North Dakota is a leading U.S. state in wind power generation. The state generated 26.8% of its electricity from wind during 2017, enough to power over one million homes.
2,996 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity had been installed for wind power in North Dakota at the end of 2017. Additional capacity had been limited by transmission line constraints until the completion of a transmission line from Fargo to central Minnesota in 2015. Capacity further reached 3,628 MW in 2019.
Very favorable wind conditions in the state enable wind farms to achieve capacity factors in excess of 40 percent. The 105 MW Thunder Spirit wind farm, completed in 2015, was expected to have a capacity factor greater than 45 percent.Nordex to supply 43, 2.5 MW turbines for Thunder Spirit project in North DakotaMontana-Dakota Utilities Acquires Thunder Spirit Wind Farm
Wind farms in North Dakota
North Dakota hosts a growing number of utility-scale wind farms in all regions of the state (view map at left). The largest is the 497 MW Bison Wind Energy Center, completed in 2015.Bison Wind Energy Center The state had the highest per-capita wind generation in the nation in 2017 according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (see figure at right).
Statistics
+North Dakota wind generating capacity by year Megawatts of generating capacityWINDExchange: U.S. Installed and Potential Wind Power Capacity and Generation
+North Dakota wind generation by year Million kilowatt-hours of electricity
North Dakota wind generation (GWh, million kWh) Year Total Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2003 58 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 13 19 21 2004 215 17 20 22 18 20 13 12 14 17 22 20 20 2005 221 15 15 19 24 21 16 15 13 16 22 22 23 2006 370 28 32 32 32 36 27 24 23 26 34 31 45 2007 621 63 39 56 44 57 45 40 39 54 50 61 73 2008 1,693 58 49 64 97 144 119 109 159 173 227 201 293 2009 2,996 296 245 283 268 265 161 179 178 259 255 338 269 2010 4,096 323 203 303 359 427 280 257 341 421 400 400 382 2011 5,236 436 523 435 444 525 381 272 297 360 475 541 547 2012 5,275 579 390 541 561 481 399 271 310 399 558 410 376 2013 5,519 597 394 425 518 536 393 312 273 426 497 589 559 2014 6,203 743 619 554 575 499 421 374 282 462 635 664 375 2015 6,507 665 475 702 658 573 340 404 385 500 702 583 520 2016 8,173 561 549 723 811 635 640 506 522 676 731 800 1,019 2017 11,360 914 928 1,080 1,033 998 891 679 550 887 1,190 1,045 1,165 2018 10,732 1,125 1,034 919 1,050 764 763 638 638 902 1,032 847 1,020 2019 11,213 986 792 1,090 983 900 755 642 775 969 1,279 991 1,051 2020 13,635 1,046 1,186 1,199 1,184 1,119 1,074 850 874 1,213 1,228 1,369 1,293 2021 14,543 1,188 1,057 1,434 1,266 1,250 887 896 1,040 1,201 1,374 1,485 1,465 2022 16,568 1,610 1,517 1,684 1,710 1,444 1,130 936 974 1,195 1,368 1,619 1,381 2023 4,242 1,204 1,556 1,482
Source:
Seasonal generation North Dakota wind generation is strong year-round, and tends to be strongest during the spring and fall.
+North Dakota monthly wind generation in 2017
See also
Solar power in North Dakota Wind power in the United States List of wind farms in the United States
References
External links
North Dakota Wind Activities