Wind developers installed about 12.9 GW of new capacity in the U.S. in 2021, a 20% decrease from the record 16 GW of wind capacity that came online in 2020, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data.

Of the total, nearly 4 GW of new wind projects came online in the fourth quarter of last year, including 800 MW in Texas.

Developers of wind, solar and battery storage projects had to delay over 11.4 GW of capacity initially planned to come online in 2021 given supply chain headwinds, logistics logjams and international trade barriers forced.

The largest individual plant was added to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas Inc. grid: NextEra Energy Inc.'s 500-MW White Mesa Wind Energy Center in Crockett County, Texas. Its output is under contract with a number of corporate buyers, including Apple Inc. The next-largest projects to be completed were Pattern Energy Group LP's 350-MW Red Cloud and 324-MW Clines Corners wind facilities in Torrance County, N.M. The projects, which are part of the Western Spirit wind portfolio, will supply their output to Germany-headquartered Uniper SE's North American energy marketing business.

Looking ahead, the U.S. has a wind project pipeline of 60.7 GW through 2026, of which 20.5 GW, or nearly 33%, is in advanced development or under construction, Market Intelligence data shows. For 2022, there is a 20.1-GW development pipeline. Of that capacity, nearly 1.7 GW, or 8%, is in advanced development and almost 6.8 GW, or 34%, is under construction.

The only project announced in the 2021 fourth quarter was Iberdrola SA's proposed 1.5-GW Commonwealth offshore wind project, which was selected in Massachusetts' third competitive solicitation for offshore wind resources. The approximately $8.5 billion project is expected to come online in 2030, according to Market Intelligence data.

Wyoming leads the nation with 6.5 GW of wind projects in advanced development or under construction. The largest of the projects is Anschutz Corp.'s 3,000-MW Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project, which is set to make Wyoming a wind power leader in the U.S. The project has been under development for more than a decade and is targeted for completion in 2026.

Texas comes in second with a 3.8-GW project pipeline in advanced development or under construction. The Lone Star State's largest wind facility under construction is the 500-MW Goodnight Wind Energy plant in Armstrong County. The project, which is owned by FGE Power, is scheduled to become operational in 2023.

Massachusetts has 2.3 GW of projects underway. The 800-MW Vineyard Offshore Wind Project is the state's largest wind facility now under construction. The project, a joint venture between Avangrid Inc. subsidiary Avangrid Renewables LLC and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners K/S, is expected to start delivering energy to Massachusetts in 2023.

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