
About 1,300 MW of wind power capacity came online between April and June in the strongest second quarter for wind energy projects since 2015, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data.
In 2015, 1,573 MW of wind power capacity came online during the second quarter. This year's push came in a political environment similar to 2015, with uncertainty as to whether the U.S. Congress will extend renewable energy tax credits. The extension passed in December 2015 set a phase-out date for the production tax credit of Jan. 1, 2020. Lawmakers are considering extending the credit.
In the first quarter of 2019, 1,122 MW came online.

Projects announced
Companies announced plans to build three projects totaling 580 MW in the second quarter, including Apex Clean Energy Inc.'s 300-MW, $540 million Goose Creek Wind Project in Illinois, which is expected to come online in 2021; Invenergy LLC's 200-MW, $360 million Plymouth Wind Farm Project in Plymouth County, Iowa; and CaptrustFinancial Advisors LLC subsidiary Leeward Renewable Energy LLC's 80-MW, $142 million Lone Tree Wind Farm. That wind farm, in Bureau County, Ill., is a part of Leeward's virtual power purchase agreement with Target Corp.

Texas boom continues
Roughly 55% of the wind power capacity additions in the second quarter were in Texas, which ranks first nationally for wind power capacity, at 25,629 MW, according to the American Wind Energy Association.
The 478-MW Hale Community Energy in Hale County, owned by Xcel Energy Inc. subsidiary Southwestern Public Service Co., was the largest project by capacity completed in the period. At a cost of more than $700 million, the Hale Community facility is part of Xcel's expansion in Texas and New Mexico. In December, Xcel announced its goal to go 100% carbon free by 2050.
Second-largest was the $407 million, 226-MW Shaffer Wind Project (Patriot - Petronilla) owned by Avangrid Inc. subsidiary Avangrid Renewables LLC. The ultimate parent is Iberdrola SA. AEP Texas Inc. is the utility off-taker for that project.
Outside Texas, in Allen County, Kan., the 199-MW, $358 million Prairie Queen Wind Farm came online. Axium Infrastructure Inc. subsidiary AxInfra owns 80% of that project. EDP Renewables North America LLC owns 20% of the project, which is selling power to Great Plains Energy Inc. through 2039. EDP's parent company, EDP Renováveis SA, sold the other 80% to Axium as a part of a multiproject, $860 million deal. Berkshire Hathaway Energy subsidiary MidAmerican Energy Co.'s 201-MW, $371 million Ida Grove Wind II Project in Iowa came online in May. MidAmerican has set a goal to reach 100% renewable power. In 2018, it delivered half of its electricity through renewable power in the state, and it has invested nearly $10 billion in wind projects across Iowa. But the company has also faced local opposition to some projects.
Wyoming, Massachusetts poised for growth
About 10,170 MW of projects costing $25.1 billion were in advanced development or construction in the second quarter. About 5,300 MW of those projects are in Wyoming, which is set to take a leadership role in wind power capacity in the West with The Anschutz Corp. subsidiary Power Co. of Wyoming's 3,000-MW Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project. The project depends on development of the company's 730-mile TransWest Express transmission line.
In Texas, $1.7 billion of projects, totaling 1,369 MW, are under construction, including FGE Power's 500-MW Goodnight Wind Energy project.
In Massachusetts, where the state has embarked on a major push for offshore wind, 1,504 MW are in advanced development or under construction. Vineyard Wind LLC, a joint venture of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners K/S, is still awaiting federal approval of its 800-MW Vineyard Offshore Wind Project. The first phase of that project is expected to come online in Dec. 2022.
And in Oklahoma, Invenergy's 999-MW, $1.8 billion Traverse Wind Farm is scheduled to go online in Dec. 2021.

