What New England States Use Wind Energy?

Wind energy is one of the fastest growing renewable energy sources in the United States. According to the Department of Energy’s 2022 Land-Based Wind Market Report (https://emp.lbl.gov/wind-technologies-market-report), the U.S. installed 13.6 gigawatts (GW) of new wind power capacity in 2021, representing a 59% year-over-year increase. Total installed wind capacity is now over 138 GW, generating over 9% of the nation’s electricity. The wind industry is projecting continued strong growth in 2023 and beyond (https://apnews.com/article/global-wind-energy-growth-climate-solution-e28a300ca3c98761a9c96da059a76082).

The New England region has emerged as a leader in wind power. States like Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts are investing heavily in land-based and offshore wind farms to transition away from fossil fuels. According to projections, wind capacity in New England could grow over 5 times by 2050 (https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2023/08/just-how-fast-will-clean-energy-grow-in-the-u-s/). This article provides an overview of wind energy growth and use in the six New England states.

Table of Contents

Maine

Maine is one of the top producers of wind energy in New England. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2022 renewable resources provided 64% of Maine’s electricity net generation, with wind energy accounting for 23% of the state’s total electricity production (Maine State Profile). Maine had over 1,000 megawatts of installed wind capacity as of 2020 (Wind Energy in Maine – WINDExchange).

Some of the major wind farms in Maine include Mars Hill Wind Farm, Stetson Wind Farm, Kibby Wind Power Project, Rollins Wind Farm, and Beaver Ridge Wind Project. The state has steadily added wind capacity over the past decade, with most projects located in the rural interior and northern regions of the state (Offshore Wind | Governor’s Energy Office).

Maine has implemented several policies to promote wind energy production. The state has a Renewable Portfolio Standard that requires 80% of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030, with a goal of 100% by 2040. Maine also offers financial incentives for wind projects and streamlined permitting policies to facilitate wind farm development.

Vermont

Vermont is a leader when it comes to wind energy generation. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), in 2022, Vermont’s five utility-scale wind farms accounted for about 17% of the state’s total electricity net generation, a larger share than in nearly three- quarters of states.

Some of the major wind farms in Vermont include:

Searsburg Wind Power Facility – 6 MW
Sheffield Wind Facility – 40 MW

Lowell Mountain Wind Project – 63 MW

Vermont has implemented several policies and initiatives to support wind energy deployment, such as the Sustainably Priced Energy Development (SPEED) Program which promotes renewable energy development.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire has steadily increased its wind energy production over the past decade. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), wind energy accounted for almost 3% of New Hampshire’s total in-state electricity generation in 2022. This is up from just 0.2% in 2011.

Some of the major wind energy projects in New Hampshire include the Groton Wind Farm with a capacity of 48 MW and the Granite Reliable Power windpark with a capacity of 99 MW (WINDExchange). Areas along the state’s short Atlantic coastline and on mountain ridges are well-suited for wind energy development.

New Hampshire has implemented several policies to encourage the growth of wind energy. The state has a Renewable Portfolio Standard that requires 25% of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2025. New Hampshire also offers property tax exemptions for land used for renewable energy facilities like wind farms (EIA).

Massachusetts

Massachusetts has relatively low wind energy production compared to other New England states. As of 2022, wind power accounted for only 0.9% of in-state electricity generation in Massachusetts, with 120 MW of installed wind capacity (Source).

The state’s largest wind farms include the Hoosac Wind Project in Monroe with 19 turbines (30 MW capacity), the Mount Wachusett Community College Wind Turbine (1.65 MW), and the Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort turbine (1.5 MW) (Source).

Massachusetts has implemented renewable portfolio standards that require utilities to procure increasing amounts of renewable energy. The state also offers various financial incentives for wind power deployment (Source). However, lawsuits and local opposition have hampered some proposed large-scale offshore wind projects.

Rhode Island

Rhode Island has been steadily growing its wind energy capacity over the past decade. As of 2022, wind power provided about 2.5% of the state’s electricity generation, with 48 megawatts of installed wind capacity across 18 onshore wind farms (Source). Major wind farms in Rhode Island include the Portsmouth Abbey School Turbine, the state’s first utility-scale wind turbine, and the North Kingstown Green Turbine Project, consisting of three 1.5 MW turbines.

Rhode Island has implemented policies to encourage further wind energy development. The state has a Renewable Energy Standard that requires 38.5% of electricity sold in the state to come from renewable sources by 2035. There are also tax exemptions for renewable energy equipment and net metering policies that allow wind system owners to sell excess power back to the grid (Source). The state offers grants, loans, and other incentives to support new wind projects through the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources.

Looking ahead, Rhode Island aims to continue diversifying its renewable energy portfolio with more onshore and offshore wind farms. With strong policy support and available financial incentives, wind energy has the potential to meet an increasing portion of the state’s electricity demand.

Connecticut

Connecticut has seen steady growth in wind energy over the past decade. As of 2021, the state had 159 megawatts (MW) of installed wind capacity, producing enough electricity to power around 50,000 homes annually. Major utility-scale wind farms in Connecticut include the Colebrook South and Colebrook North projects, which together comprise a 65 MW facility. There are also a number of distributed wind projects scattered across the state.

Connecticut has implemented several policies to encourage further wind energy development. The state has a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) that requires utilities to obtain 23% of electricity from renewable sources by 2020. Connecticut also offers a Zero-Emissions Renewable Energy Credit program that supports development of certain wind, solar, and hydropower projects. Going forward, the state aims to procure up to 2,000 MW of offshore wind by 2030 to continue diversifying its energy mix.

Benefits

Wind energy provides numerous environmental benefits compared to fossil fuel-generated electricity. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, wind power is a clean energy source that reduces air pollution and does not produce greenhouse gases. The DOE states that “using wind energy to generate electricity offsets CO2 emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants and avoids other pollutants emitted from conventional generation sources” (Advantages and Challenges of Wind Energy).

There are also economic benefits associated with wind energy. Wind power creates jobs in manufacturing, installation, maintenance, and supporting services. The wind industry employed over 114,000 Americans in 2020, according to the American Wind Energy Association. Wind projects also produce lease payments for landowners and increase tax revenue for communities (All the Benefits of Wind Power).

In addition, wind energy contributes to energy independence by using an inexhaustible domestic resource. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, “developing wind power generation will lead to energy diversity, security and stability by reducing our dependence on foreign oil supplies” (Wind Energy Benefits). Wind and other renewables decrease reliance on imported fuels.

Challenges

While wind energy offers many benefits, there are some challenges that need to be addressed (Advantages and Challenges of Wind Energy – energy.gov):

One major challenge is the high upfront costs associated with wind power. Constructing wind turbines and infrastructure is expensive and requires significant initial investment. Though the costs are dropping as technology improves, the upfront financial costs can deter adoption of wind power (Wind energy – opportunities and challenges – ewe.com).

Another challenge is the intermittency of wind power. Wind speeds fluctuate naturally and turbine output varies accordingly. Additional investments may be needed in energy storage and backup power to compensate for inconsistent generation (Grand Challenges in Wind Energy Science – nrel.gov).

There can also be land use conflicts associated with wind power facilities. Wind farms require large areas of open land and some communities oppose having visible turbines located near residential areas. Careful planning and community engagement is needed to find suitable locations and gain public acceptance (Wind energy – opportunities and challenges – ewe.com).

Future Outlook

The future for wind energy in New England looks bright, with significant growth projected over the next decade. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, New England’s wind capacity is expected to grow from 1.8 gigawatts in 2020 to 8.2 gigawatts by 2030 and 16.7 gigawatts by 2050 (source). Several major offshore wind projects are planned off the New England coast, including Vineyard Wind 1 and 2, Mayflower Wind, and Revolution Wind.

Various New England states also have renewable or clean energy targets that will drive further wind energy growth. For example, Massachusetts has mandated 1,600 megawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2027 and Maine has a goal of installing 5,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2030 (source). Connecticut aims to procure 2,000 megawatts of offshore wind power by 2030. With ambitious policy goals and suitable offshore wind resources, New England is poised to continue rapidly scaling up wind energy in the 2020s and beyond.