A wind farm or wind park, also called a wind power station or wind power plant, is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electricity. Wind farms vary in size from a small number of turbines to several hundred wind turbines covering an extensive area. Wind farms can be either onshore or offshore.
The United Kingdom is the best location for wind power in Europe and one of the best in the world. The combination of long coastline, shallow water and strong winds make offshore wind unusually effective.
Wind power became a significant energy source within South Australia over the first two decades of the 21st century. In 2015, there was an installed capacity of 1,475 MW, which accounted for 34% of electricity production in the state. This accounted for 35% of Australia's installed wind power capacity. In 2021, there was an installed capacity of 2052.95 MW, which accounted for 42.1% of the electricity production in the state in 2020.
In 2016, Arizona had 268 megawatts (MW) of wind powered electricity generating capacity, producing 0.5% of in-state generated electricity.
The U.S. state of Massachusetts has vast wind energy resources offshore, as well as significant resources onshore. The 2016 update to the states's Clean Energy and Climate Plan had a goal of reducing 1990 baseline greenhouse gas emissions levels by 25% by 2020. Current goals include installing 3,500 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind power in the state by 2035. However, as of Q4 2021 the state had only 120 MW of wind powered electricity generating capacity, responsible for generating 0.9% of in-state electricity production. The state has awarded contracts to two offshore projects, the 800 MW Vineyard Wind project and 804 MW Mayflower Wind project. Construction began on the Vineyard Wind 1 project on November 18, 2021, after a long fight for approval. Commonwealth Wind was selected for development in 2021, but the developer has attempted to cancel the project due to increased costs. There are eight projects planned for off the southern coast of Massachusetts, though some will deliver power to Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York.
Enel Green Power S.p.A. is an Italian multinational renewable energy corporation, headquartered in Rome. The company was formed as a subsidiary of the power generation firm Enel in December 2008. It has operations in five continents generating energy from solar, geothermal, wind and hydropower sources. As of 2024, it manages a capacity of 63,8 GW, with an annual production of 75.95 TWh and has over 1300 plants worldwide.
Sere Wind Farm is a windfarm in the Western Cape province of South Africa that is one of the largest windfarms in Southern Africa with a production capacity of 100 MW. The project is estimated to have cost R2.689 billion. Eskom stated that the plant was fully commissioned on 31 March 2015.
The U.S. State of Oklahoma has high potential capacity for wind power in the western half of the state. In 2021, Oklahoma's installed wind generation capacity was almost 10,500 megawatts, supplying over 40% of the state's generated electricity and 85% of Oklahoma's total generating capacity from all renewable resources.
As of 2023, wind power was the top source of energy in New Mexico, with approximately 4,400 megawatts (MW) of electricity generating capacity responsible for 38% of electricity produced that year. Wind power in New Mexico has the potential to generate more than all of the electricity consumed in the state.
Renewable energy in South Africa is energy generated in South Africa from renewable resources, those that naturally replenish themselves—such as sunlight, wind, tides, waves, rain, biomass, and geothermal heat. Renewable energy focuses on four core areas: electricity generation, air and water heating/cooling, transportation, and rural energy services. The energy sector in South Africa is an important component of global energy regimes due to the country's innovation and advances in renewable energy. South Africa's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is ranked as moderate and its per capita emission rate is higher than the global average. Energy demand within the country is expected to rise steadily and double by 2025.
The Golden Valley Wind Energy Facility is a wind farm in the Amathole District Municipality, built within the wind energy generation zone located in the centre of Bedford, Cookhouse and Somerset East, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.
The Wesley–Ciskei Wind Power Station is a 34.5 megawatts wind power energy project in South Africa. The power station is owned by EDF Renewables, a subsidiary of the French energy conglomerate Électricité de France (EDF). EDF won the concession for this project in June 2015, during the 4th round of the South African government's Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement of South Africa (REIPPP).
The Roggeveld Wind Power Station is an operational 147 MW (197,000 hp) wind power plant in South Africa. The power station, which began commercial operations in March 2022, was originally developed by G7 Renewable Energies between 2009 and 2015 and thereafter by Red Rocket who owns and operates the project. The energy generated at this wind farm is sold to the South African national electricity utility company Eskom, under a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA).
The Castle Wind Farm is a privately owned 89 megawatt wind farm under construction in South Africa. The renewable energy infrastructure development project is owned and under development by a consortium comprising two South African businesses; (a) African Clean Energy Developments (Pty) Limited (“ACED”), a renewable energy development company headquartered in Cape Town and (b) Reatile Group, a Johannesburg-headquartered, 100 percent black-owned investment company which focuses on energy, petrochemicals and industry. The power generated at this wind farm is intended for sale to Sibanye-Stillwater, a Johannesburg-based multinational mining conglomerate. The power is intended for use by Sibanye-Stillwater in its mining operations in South Africa.
The Seriti Wind Power Station is a 155 MW (208,000 hp) wind power plant under construction in South Africa. The power station is under development and is owned by Seriti Green Energy, the renewable energy subsidiary of the South African coal mining conglomerate, Seriti Resources. The power generated at this wind farm is intended for use by Seriti Resources in its coal mining operations in South Africa. The power will be transmitted from the wind farm to its destinations by Eskom, the South African electric utility company, under a "wheeling agreement". When completed in 2025 as planned, this will be the largest grid-ready wind power station in South Africa to date.
The Impofu Wind Power Farms Complex (IWPFC), is a cluster of three wind power plants under construction in South Africa. The power stations together with the associated high-voltage substations and 120 kilometres (75 mi) of 132 kV overhead power lines are expected to generate 330 MW of power. The power is then expected to be transmitted to Secunda in Mpumalanga, where the French industrial group Air Liquide, will use the power in the largest oxygen-production plant in the world, that is located there. The power will be transmitted from the wind farms to the off-taker by Eskom, the national electricity utility company under a long-term "wheeling agreement".
The Umsinde Emoyeni Wind Power Station (UEWPS), is a 140 MW wind power plant under construction in South Africa. The power station is under development by a consortium comprising (i) African Clean Energy Developments (ACED) and (ii) Energy Infrastructure Management Services. Both entities are subsidiaries of African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM), an asset manager entity headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa.
