American wind power expansion is poised to drive 248,000 jobs and US$ 85 billion dollars in economic activity over the next four years, according to new analysis released by Navigant Consulting. American wind industry jobs grew nearly 17 per cent during 2016, and Navigant expects wind job growth to continue. By 2020, the consultant expects a total of 248,000 wind-related American jobs, including induced jobs.
By that time there would be 33,000 Americans working in factories supplying the wind industry, 114,000 Americans building, operating and maintaining wind turbines, and an additional 102,000 workers in jobs supported by the industry. Wind is now the largest source of renewable energy capacity in the USA, with over 82,000MW installed at the end of 2016. Navigant forecasts the development of 35,000MW of additional wind power capacity between 2017 and 2020, a more than 40 per cent increase. And as of 2016, more than 80 per cent of wind towers and up to 70 per cent of blades and hubs are made in America, and 85 per cent of turbine nacelles are assembled in the USA.
