Forecasting the future for wind energy in the plains By EPN Staff Oklahoma may be thought of as gas and oil country, but wind blowing across the state’s vast open spaces accounted for roughly 42% of the state’s total power generation in 2022. Only Texas and Iowa ranked ahead of Oklahoma in terms of wind production, and the Sooner state produced 8.4% of all wind energy in the U.S. Like Colorado, Oklahoma’s wind energy capacity has skyrocketed in the past decade. But the future of wind’s role in energy production may be less certain following recent remarks from President Donald Trump, who described windmills as “the most expensive energy ever” and expressed interest in “a policy where no windmills are being built.” Why it matters Pro-wind policies have benefited states like Oklahoma, where strong demand for wind turbine technicians has fueled training programs. Federal data projected the role would grow 60 percent over the next decade. But as an intermittent energy source, windmills do not produce consistent generation, so they must be complemented through power generated through more reliable sources, such as nuclear, natural gas or coal to meet public demand. Natural gas is expected to outpace wind energy in the future; Oklahoma is expected to add 364 megawatts (MW) of natural gas, compared to an addition of 199 megawatts of wind, annually through 2027. The bigger picture Oklahoma’s natural gas-driven power grid has kept energy prices down, while having wind energy has attracted Google, which has the world’s second-largest data center in the state. In December, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a memorandum of understanding with Denmark, pledging to collaborate on wind power. Since 2010, Oklahoma’s wind industry increased ten-fold to produce 37,700 megawatt hours of electricity in 2023. Windfarms are eligible for federal tax credits for up to $0.275 per kWh generated, for 10 years after the equipment goes into service. Oklahoma’s electricity costs are lower than the national average, with residents paying $0.1401/kWh, compared to $.1683/kWh nationally. The wind energy industry employed 1,845 people in Oklahoma, according to a 2022 report. However, roughly 42% all land in Oklahoma is tribal, which could complicate wind energy expansion plans. In 2024 a judge ordered the removal of an operational 84-turbine wind farm on Osage Nation land because the developers did not attain federal mining rights before digging foundations for the turbines. More context The $1.3 billion Traverse Wind Energy Centre is a 998-megawatt windfarm in Oklahoma that opened in 2022. It is owned by American Electric Power and is one of the largest in the United States. State energy leaders have rebuffed critiques of Oklahoma’s continued fossil fuel reliance, siting the blended generation as key to keeping electricity prices down. The 10% of power generated by coal in Oklahoma is also vital, according to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). In 2023, FERC commissioners testified before the U.S. Senate that it would not be possible to eliminate coal and maintain grid reliability. Expanded wind energy frequently depends on new or larger transmission lines, since the energy must be transported long distances from windfarms to population centers. A Harvard review of transmission lines built since 2005 revealed that the average line takes roughly a decade to build, due to the lengthy permitting process. Trump has indicated he intends to address that issue by expediting reviews.
