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Texas led US wind power in 2024 with 124,936 GWh, driving low wholesale costs and growth opportunities

Key Takeaways

  • Texas generated approximately 124,936 GWh from wind in 2024, accounting for 28% of the U.S. total, more than any other state.
  • The state’s deregulated energy market and favourable wind conditions continue to drive investment and capacity growth.
  • Combined wind and solar energy made up 29.8% of Texas’s electricity mix in 2024, with forecasts projecting further gains.
  • Wholesale electricity in Texas remains 15% below the national average, largely due to cost-effective wind generation.
  • Texas’s expanding wind sector presents investment opportunities, though intermittency and policy shifts pose risks.

Texas stands as the undisputed leader in wind power generation across the United States, a position that underscores its pivotal role in the nation’s shift towards renewable energy sources. As of mid-2025, the Lone Star State accounts for more than a quarter of the country’s total wind-sourced electricity, outpacing other states by a significant margin and driving broader trends in clean energy adoption.

The Dominance of Texas in Wind Energy

Recent data highlights Texas’s commanding lead in wind power. According to reports from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) as of 2024, Texas generated approximately 124,936 gigawatt-hours (GWh) from wind, representing about 28% of the national total. This figure positions Texas well ahead of runners-up like Iowa, Oklahoma, and Kansas, whose combined output falls short of Texas’s alone. By 2025, industry analyses suggest this dominance has only strengthened, with installed wind capacity reaching around 40,556 megawatts (MW) in 2022 and continuing to expand rapidly.

What fuels this supremacy? Texas benefits from vast open landscapes in regions like the Panhandle and West Texas, where consistent high wind speeds make generation efficient. The state’s deregulated energy market has also encouraged investment, allowing wind projects to compete on cost without heavy subsidies. A 2025 update from Choose Energy indicates that wind energy generation varies widely by state, but Texas consistently tops the charts, contributing to a record share of U.S. electricity from renewables.

Key Trends Shaping Texas Wind Power

Wind power in Texas has seen explosive growth over the past decade. A Reuters analysis from late 2024 noted that wind farms generated a record share of U.S. electricity that year, emerging as the second-largest source of clean power behind nuclear. In Texas specifically, wind and solar together accounted for 29.8% of total electricity production in 2024, a figure projected to rise further. Environment America reported in 2024 that Texas continues to dominate in both wind and solar, with interactive dashboards showing a decade-long surge in clean energy capacity.

Challenges persist, however. Low wind speeds in early 2025, as detailed in a March 2025 Reuters piece, forced a temporary increase in fossil fuel generation to maintain grid stability. This highlights the intermittent nature of wind, prompting calls for enhanced storage solutions. Nonetheless, projections from the EIA suggest that by the end of 2025, wind could double its contribution in Texas, potentially reaching 40% of the state’s power mix when combined with solar, according to Warp News in April 2025.

Analyst-led forecasts paint an optimistic picture. Models from Ember, in their April 2025 report, indicate that solar and wind are driving fossil fuels below 50% of U.S. electricity for the first time, with Texas leading the charge. Inside Climate News echoed this in March 2025, noting Texas’s outsized role in renewable generation growth amid declining coal use.

Implications for the Energy Sector and Investors

The implications of Texas’s wind leadership extend far beyond state borders. As the U.S. pushes for decarbonisation, Texas’s model offers a blueprint for scaling renewables in competitive markets. Wholesale electricity costs in Texas remain 15% below the national average, partly due to low-cost wind generation, which undercuts traditional sources during peak production hours. This cost advantage has attracted data centres, manufacturing, and cryptocurrency operations, fuelling a projected 11% annual growth in electricity demand through 2026, as per a Texas Politics report from August 2025.

For investors, the wind sector in Texas presents opportunities in infrastructure, technology, and ancillary services. Companies involved in turbine manufacturing, grid integration, and energy storage stand to benefit. However, risks include policy shifts and weather variability—dry humour aside, one can’t invest in wind without considering when it might not blow. Sentiment from verified sources like Reuters remains positive, with analysts marking wind as a growth driver amid the energy transition.

Comparative State Analysis

To contextualise Texas’s lead, consider a snapshot of top wind-producing states based on 2024 data:

State Wind Generation (GWh, 2024) Share of U.S. Total (%)
Texas 124,936 28
Iowa Approximately 40,000 9
Oklahoma Approximately 35,000 8
Kansas Approximately 30,000 7

These figures, drawn from EIA statistics, illustrate Texas’s outsized contribution. Posts found on X reflect public sentiment, with users noting Texas’s low energy costs and renewable dominance as key to its economic edge, though some express concerns over grid reliability during low-wind periods.

Future Outlook and Strategic Considerations

Looking ahead, analyst models from the EIA project that Texas’s wind capacity could exceed 50,000 MW by 2030, supported by federal incentives like those in the Inflation Reduction Act. This growth aligns with national goals to boost clean energy to 52% of electricity by 2025, up from 32% in 2019. Investors should monitor developments in battery storage, as Texas led in new installations in Q1 2025, per industry trackers.

In summary, Texas’s preeminence in wind power not only bolsters U.S. renewable efforts but also signals lucrative avenues for investment in a sector poised for sustained expansion. As the energy landscape evolves, Texas remains the wind beneath America’s clean power wings.

References

  • Choose Energy. (2025). Wind generation by state. Retrieved from https://www.chooseenergy.com/data-center/wind-generation-by-state/
  • Reuters. (2024, October 31). Key U.S. wind power trends & metrics to track. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/key-us-wind-power-trends-metrics-track-maguire-2024-10-31/
  • Reuters. (2025, March 4). Low wind speeds may limit Texas power system maintenance window. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/low-wind-speeds-may-limit-texas-power-system-maintenance-window-maguire-2025-03-04/
  • Reuters. (2024, February 15). Wind woes persist in Texas power system. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/wind-woes-persist-texas-power-system-2024-2024-02-15/
  • Environment America. (2024). Texas continues dominance in wind and solar power generation. Retrieved from https://environmentamerica.org/texas/media-center/new-analysis-texas-continues-dominance-in-wind-and-solar-power-generation/
  • Texas 2036. (n.d.). Texas is America’s energy expansion leader. Retrieved from https://texas2036.org/posts/texas-is-americas-energy-expansion-leader/
  • U.S. Energy Information Administration. (n.d.). State profile: Texas. Retrieved from https://www.eia.gov/state/analysis.php?sid=TX
  • Texas Comptroller. (2023). Wind energy snapshot. Retrieved from https://comptroller.texas.gov/economy/economic-data/energy/2023/wind-snap.php
  • Energies Media. (2024). Top 5 wind-producing states: A 2024 update. Retrieved from https://energiesmedia.com/top-5-wind-producing-states-in-the-us-a-2024-update/
  • BKV Energy. (n.d.). Largest wind farms in Texas. Retrieved from https://bkvenergy.com/learning-center/largest-wind-farms-in-texas/
  • Texas Politics. (2025, August 7). Texas power grid facing significant surge in 2026. Retrieved from https://texaspolitics.com/2025/08/07/texas-power-grid-facing-significant-surge-in-2026
  • Warp News. (2025, April). Wind power is big in Texas, expected to double during 2025. Retrieved from https://www.warpnews.org/green-tech/wind-power-is-big-in-texas-expected-to-double-during-2025/
  • Ember. (2025, April). Fossil fuels fall below 50% of U.S. electricity. Retrieved from https://ember-energy.org/latest-updates/fossil-fuels-fall-below-50-of-us-electricity-for-the-first-month-on-record/
  • Inside Climate News. (2025, March 6). Inside clean energy: Texas leads renewable generation. Retrieved from https://insideclimatenews.org/news/06032025/inside-clean-energy-texas-leads-renewable-generation/
  • X (formerly Twitter) accounts cited include: @unusual_whales, @DougLewinEnergy, @Liv_Boeree, @JosephPolitano, @AlecStapp, @AssaadRazzouk, @CarlKistler, @Henriqué, @CentristRants, @WhiteHouseXray, and @JeffKlumpp. Retrieved from respective user accounts as cited in article context.
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