US wind farms – especially the newer ones – stay relatively efficient over time, with only a 13% drop in the plants’ performance over 17 years, according to new research from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL).

The study, published in the journal Joule, also suggests that the federal production tax credit (PTC) provides an effective incentive to maintain the facilities during the 10-year window in which they are eligible to receive it, with plant performance dropping once this window closes.