![](Https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/55/Utah_wind_resource_map_50m_800.jpg/220px-Utah_wind_resource_map_50m_800.jpg)
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Wind power in Utah is in the early stages of development. As of 2016 the state had 391 MW of wind generation capacity, responsible for 2.6% of in-state electricity generation.[1] Wind thus plays a small role in the state's renewable portfolio standard goals.[2][3]
A 2009 Utah Renewable Energy Zone Taskforce estimated that the state could produce over 9,000 megawatts of wind power. As about 80% of Utah's population is concentrated along the foot of the Wasatch Front mountain range, reliable and predictable canyon winds offer opportunities for wind power generation and efficient wind energy distribution without long-distance transmission.[4][5][6]
Utah Power, now PacifiCorp, launched the Blue Sky Program in 2000 to encourage users to purchase imported wind power, with the option of purchasing 100-kilowatt hour (kWh) "blocks" of renewable energy for a monthly fee through their electricity bills.[7] In 2003, radio station KZMU in southeast Utah began operating solely on wind power.[8] Kinkos also participates.[9] PacifiCorp, the major provider in Utah, imports much of its renewable energy into the state and does not intend to build instate facilities before at least 2024.[10][11]
Wind farms
The first utility-scale wind farm was built at Spanish Fork in 2008.[12][13]
The 306 MW Milford Wind Corridor Project has been the largest wind farm in Utah since its completion in 2011.
Statistics
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Megawatts of Installed Generating Capacity[14] |
Utah Wind Generation (GWh, Million kWh) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Total | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
2008 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
2009 | 159 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 33 | 47 | 15 | 35 |
2010 | 448 | 30 | 15 | 45 | 43 | 50 | 37 | 36 | 59 | 39 | 26 | 26 | 42 |
2011 | 571 | 16 | 54 | 60 | 43 | 56 | 70 | 56 | 64 | 21 | 36 | 65 | 30 |
2012 | 704 | 33 | 38 | 98 | 61 | 79 | 93 | 56 | 39 | 33 | 40 | 55 | 79 |
2013 | 640 | 22 | 31 | 40 | 32 | 61 | 71 | 54 | 53 | 56 | 45 | 47 | 28 |
2014 | 659 | 27 | 70 | 74 | 54 | 71 | 72 | 58 | 50 | 37 | 38 | 56 | 52 |
2015 | 624 | 30 | 40 | 47 | 60 | 56 | 59 | 69 | 52 | 65 | 31 | 53 | 62 |
2016 | 821 | 38 | 26 | 84 | 48 | 65 | 82 | 85 | 67 | 77 | 89 | 60 | 100 |
2017 | 857 | 90 | 94 | 81 | 69 | 69 | 68 | 50 | 53 | 53 | 66 | 89 | 75 |
2018 | 795 | 60 | 58 | 87 | 64 | 59 | 82 | 61 | 76 | 75 | 57 | 62 | 54 |
2019 | 820 | 63 | 97 | 68 | 64 | 64 | 65 | 74 | 67 | 75 | 66 | 56 | 61 |
2020 | 802 | 65 | 68 | 87 | 42 | 79 | 73 | 78 | 78 | 52 | 58 | 72 | 50 |
2021 | 825 | 61 | 74 | 79 | 55 | 74 | 72 | 53 | 68 | 59 | 64 | 58 | 108 |
2022 | 60 | 60 |
See also
References
- ^ "Utah Wind Energy" (PDF). US Wind Energy State Facts. American Wind Energy Association. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
- ^ "Renewable Energy in Utah" (PDF). Acore. October 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
- ^ "State Renewable Portfolio Standards and Goals". National Association of State Legislatures. 19 February 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ Wind Power in Utah May 2013
- ^ "Utah/Wind Resources/Full Version". openei.org. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
- ^ "WINDExchange: Utah Wind Resource Map and Potential Wind Capacity". energy.gov. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
- ^ Blue Sky (Rocky Mountain Power)
- ^ "KZMU - 100% Wind Powered". Retrieved 18 February 2008.
- ^ Kinkos Uses Blue Sky (PR News)
- ^ PacifiCorp Wind Energy
- ^ SL Tribune
- ^ Harvesting Utah's Winds (Resilience.org, 13 May 2011)
- ^ "Spanish Fork will celebrate wind power - KSL.com". ksl.com. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
- ^ WINDExchange: U.S. Installed and Potential Wind Power Capacity and Generation
- ^ "Electricity Data Browser". U.S. Department of Energy. March 28, 2018. Retrieved August 29, 2021.