Wind energy uses turbines to convert the kinetic energy of wind into electricity. The US has extensive wind resources, particularly in the Great Plains, and wind now generates about 11% of US electricity. Onshore wind is one of the cheapest forms of new generation. Offshore wind is growing along the Atlantic coast. Texas, Iowa, and Oklahoma lead in wind generation capacity. Modern wind turbines have capacities of 2-5 MW onshore and up to 15 MW offshore.
Wind Energy
Electricity generated by wind turbines that convert kinetic energy from wind into electrical power.
Related Terms
Renewable Energy
Electricity generated from naturally replenishing sources: wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, and biomass.
Capacity Factor
The ratio of actual electricity output to maximum possible output over a period, measuring plant efficiency.
Generation Mix
The combination of energy sources (coal, gas, nuclear, renewables) used to produce a state's electricity.
this entity is one of the U.S. state-level electricity rates and generation mix concepts that recurs across this site. The definition above is the technical answer; the paragraphs below add the practical context for how the concept connects to the the EIA Open Data API and State Electricity Profiles data behind every per-entity page on the site.
In the the EIA Open Data API and State Electricity Profiles data, this concept shapes one or more of the fields that drive the per-entity grades and rankings on this site. The methodology page describes which fields feed into which output; this glossary entry documents the underlying term.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2026.