Wind power generation and installed capacity in the USA reached record levels in 2025, according to a status report published by the Sun Day Campaign using data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and industry sources. Wind generated 464,391 GWh of electricity in 2025, accounting for 10.27% of total net electricity generation, up from 451,904 GWh in 2024. Installed utility-scale wind capacity reached 161.1 GW at the end of 2025, representing 11.91% of total available generating capacity.
The EIA forecasts a further 10,002 MW of onshore wind capacity and 4,155 MW of offshore wind capacity to be added over the following 12 months. Wind generation is projected to increase by 3.4% in 2026 and by a further 8.8% in 2027, with total installed wind capacity expected to reach 170 GW by the end of 2026 and 179 GW in 2027.
As of 31 March 2026, the USA had 158.6 GW of installed onshore wind capacity and 171 MW of offshore wind capacity. FERC data indicates that utility-scale wind additions between January 2026 and December 2028 could total 64.8 GW, while forecast retirements remain limited.
The EIA expects onshore wind generation to reach 481.7 billion kWh in 2026 and 511.8 billion kWh in 2027. Offshore wind generation is projected to increase from 1.3 billion kWh in 2025 to 17.6 billion kWh by 2027.
According to Wood Mackenzie, total U.S. wind installations are expected to increase from 8.2 GW in 2025 to around 11 GW in 2026. Land-based wind is forecast to account for approximately 24 GW of new installations between 2026 and 2028.
BloombergNEF projects installed U.S. wind capacity could reach 321 GW by 2035, although policy changes, permitting challenges and lower expected capacity factors have reduced long-term growth expectations compared with earlier forecasts.
The report also highlights growing policy uncertainty for the offshore wind sector. Industry estimates indicate that thousands of jobs are linked to projects that have been cancelled, delayed or remain at risk, while developers continue to face permitting and regulatory challenges.
The American Clean Power Association reports that the wind industry supports more than 383,000 jobs across the USA. The U.S. Department of Energy recorded 133,000 workers in the wind electric power generation sector in 2024, with construction representing the largest employment segment.
More than 75,000 onshore wind turbines are currently operating across the country. Wind energy provides at least a quarter of total electricity generation in nine states and represents the fourth-largest source of electricity generation capacity in the USA.
The report notes that wind power purchase agreement prices have continued to increase. LevelTen Energy reported average wind prices of US$79.40/MWh in the first quarter of 2026, up nearly 24% year on year. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimated levelised costs of energy at US$42/MWh for land-based wind, US$117/MWh for fixed-bottom offshore wind and US$181/MWh for floating offshore wind.
