Sorry, Dunkin', but America increasingly runs on wind. According to a new report from the Department of Energy, wind was the fastest growing energy source in the country last year, and it wasn't particularly close. 2020 marked a record year for the renewable energy option, which surpassed all sources of power — including former President Donald Trump's precious coal — as the fastest growing in the country.
Over the course of last year, the United States installed 16,836 megawatts of wind capacity across the country, per the latest Land-Based Wind Market Report, published earlier this week. For context, the average U.S. home consumes about 877 kilowatt-hours per month, meaning the new wind turbines have the ability to power nearly 20,000 homes. The expansion of wind made up 42% of all new energy capacity in 2020, including nearly 80% of additions made in the southwest portion of the country. And, irony of all ironies, despite the fact that Texas politicians tried to blame wind power for the state's power grid failing during an extremely cold winter storm, the Lone Star State actually led the way in new wind capacity.
