US installs most Q1 wind power capacity since 2012

First quarter US wind installations totaled 520MW, up from 333MW a year earlier and the most for the period since 2012, as construction activity and project development surge in response to the five-year federal production tax credit extension in late 2015, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) reports.

2012 was the biggest-ever year for US wind installations by far. The first quarter is often the smallest for US wind installations in a given calendar year.

Oklahoma led all states in first-quarter installations this year with 270MW, followed by Iowa (154MW) and Utah (62MW), according to AWEA’s Q1 2016 Market Report.

Oklahoma Energy and Environment Secretary Michael Teague recently told Recharge that his state will surpass California this year in wind generation capacity.