2014 Wind Technologies Market Report

Technical Report · Thu Aug 06 00:00:00 EDT 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1215327· OSTI ID:1215327

Wiser, Ryan ^[1]; Bolinger, Mark ^[1]; Barbose, Galen ^[1]; Daghouth, Naim ^[1]; Hoen, Ben ^[1]; Mills, Andrew ^[1]; Hamachi LaCommare, Kristina ^[1]; Millstein, Dev ^[1]; Hansen, Dana ^[1]; Porter, Kevin ^[2]; Widiss, Rebecca ^[2]; Buckley, Michael ^[2]; Oteri, Frank ^[3]; Smith, Aaron ^[3]; Tegen, Suzanne ^[3]

---

1. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
2. Exeter Associates, Columbia, MD (United States)
3. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Wind power capacity additions in the United States rebounded in 2014, and continued growth through 2016 is anticipated. Recent and projected near-term growth is supported by the industry’s primary federal incentive—the production tax credit (PTC)—which is available for projects that began construction by the end of 2014. Wind additions are also being driven by recent improvements in the cost and performance of wind power technologies, which have resulted in the lowest power sales prices ever seen in the U.S. wind sector. Growing corporate demand for wind energy and state-level policies play important roles as well. Expectations for continued technological advancements and cost reductions may further boost future growth. At the same time, the prospects for growth beyond 2016 are uncertain. The PTC has expired, and its renewal remains in question. Continued low natural gas prices, modest electricity demand growth, and limited near-term demand from state renewables portfolio standards (RPS) have also put a damper on growth expectations. These trends, in combination with increasingly global supply chains, have limited the growth of domestic manufacturing of wind equipment. What they mean for wind power additions through the end of the decade and beyond will be dictated in part by future natural gas prices, fossil plant retirements, and policy decisions.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Wind and Water Technologies Office (EE-4W)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 1215327
• Report Number(s): NREL/TP-5000-64522; DOE/GO-102015-4702
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

17 WIND ENERGY
wind power market
wind energy
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
market analysis
cost of energy