Wind power in Utah is in the early stages of development. As of 2016 the state had 391 MW of wind generation capacity, responsible for 2.6% of in-state electricity generation. Wind thus plays a small role in the state's renewable portfolio standard goals.
A 2009 Utah Renewable Energy Zone Taskforce estimated that the state could produce over 9,000 megawatts of wind power. As about 80% of Utah's population is concentrated along the foot of the Wasatch Front mountain range, reliable and predictable canyon winds offer opportunities for wind power generation and efficient wind energy distribution without long-distance transmission.Wind Power in Utah May 2013
Utah Power, now PacifiCorp, launched the Blue Sky Program in 2000 to encourage users to purchase imported wind power, with the option of purchasing 100-kilowatt hour (kWh) "blocks" of renewable energy for a monthly fee through their electricity bills.Blue Sky (Rocky Mountain Power) In 2003, radio station KZMU in southeast Utah began operating solely on wind power. Kinkos also participates.Kinkos Uses Blue Sky (PR News) PacifiCorp, the major provider in Utah, imports much of its renewable energy into the state, and did not intend to build instate facilities before at least 2024.PacifiCorp Wind EnergySL Tribune
Wind farms
The first utility-scale wind farm was built at Spanish Fork in 2008.Harvesting Utah's Winds (Resilience.org, 13 May 2011)
The 306 MW Milford Wind Corridor Project has been the largest wind farm in Utah since its completion in 2011.
Statistics +Utah wind generation capacity by year Megawatts of installed generating capacityWINDExchange: U.S. Installed and Potential Wind Power Capacity and Generation
Utah wind generation (GWh, million kWh) Year Total Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2008 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 3 4 5 6 2009 159 5 4 5 4 3 3 2 3 33 47 15 35 2010 448 30 15 45 43 50 37 36 59 39 26 26 42 2011 571 16 54 60 43 56 70 56 64 21 36 65 30 2012 704 33 38 98 61 79 93 56 39 33 40 55 79 2013 640 22 31 40 32 61 71 54 53 56 45 47 28 2014 659 27 70 74 54 71 72 58 50 37 38 56 52 2015 624 30 40 47 60 56 59 69 52 65 31 53 62 2016 821 38 26 84 48 65 82 85 67 77 89 60 100 2017 857 90 94 81 69 69 68 50 53 53 66 89 75 2018 795 60 58 87 64 59 82 61 76 75 57 62 54 2019 820 63 97 68 64 64 65 74 67 75 66 56 61 2020 802 65 68 87 42 79 73 78 78 52 58 72 50 2021 825 61 74 79 55 74 72 53 68 59 64 58 108 2022 60 60
Source:
See also Solar power in Utah Wind power in the United States List of wind farms
References
External links Bureau of Land Management Utah