Wind energy has become a cornerstone of sustainable power in the United States, transforming the landscape with its towering turbines and sprawling wind farm facilities. As the nation seeks to reduce its carbon footprint and embrace renewable energy sources, the development of wind farms has accelerated dramatically.
In this resource, we take you on a journey through the largest wind farms across the U.S., showcasing the impressive scale and innovative technology behind these renewable energy giants. You'll discover how these colossal installations are reshaping the energy future, why they are critical in the fight against climate change, and how you can find the location of wind farms across the nation.
Largest Wind Farms in the U.S.
The six largest wind farms in the United States are the Alta Wind Energy Center, the Los Vientos Wind Farm, the Shepherds Flat Wind Farm, the Roscoe Wind Farm, the Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center, and the Capricorn Ridge Wind Farm.
1) Alta Wind Energy Center
The largest wind farm in the U.S. is the Alta Wind Energy Center in Tehachapi Pass, Kern County, California. The Alta project was developed in 11 phases by various developers. Construction of the first phase began in 2010 and was completed in 2011. The subsequent phases progressed until the eleventh was completed in January 2014. With a combined installed capacity of approximately 1,550 MW from 600 turbines, the wind farm's power is sold to Southern California Edison through a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA). It provides enough clean energy to power 450,000 households.
In February 2024, the Bureau of Land Management approved the Alta Wind Battery Energy Storage System right-of-way on 25 additional acres located adjacent to the wind farm in Kern County. The project is designed to deliver 150 megawatts of electricity to the California power grid, store up to 1,200 megawatt hours, and increase the reliability and availability of clean power produced by the existing Alta Wind Energy Center.
2) Los Vientos Wind Farm
The 912 MW Los Vientos Wind Farm is the second largest wind farm in the U.S., spread over an area of approximately 30,000 acres of leased farmland in Starr and Willacy Counties in South Texas. It is the second largest wind farm in the United States behind the Alta Wind Energy Center in California, and it reached full commercial operation in 2016. Construction of the wind farm was done in 5 phases carried by Duke Energy Renewables. The first four phases installed 200 megawatts, while the fifth phase installed 110 megawatts.
3) Shepherds Flat Wind Farm
The Shepherds Flat Wind Farm, located near the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon in Morrow and Gilliam Counties, is one of the largest wind farms in the country, covering an area of around 19,000 acres of land. It has a capacity of 845MW and reached full operation in 2012. The wind farm, integrating three plants, namely the Shepherds Flat North, the Shepherds Flat Central and the Shepherds Flat South, was developed in three phases. The former has an installed capacity of 265MW, while the other two have installed capacities of 290MW each.
The project, valued at approximately 2 billion USD, allocated 1.4 billion USD to the turbines and a 10-year service contract. The wind farm generates enough electricity to power around 235,000 homes and annually offsets 1,000,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions. During its development, the project created about 400 construction jobs and now supports nearly 50 permanent positions. Additionally, it is estimated to contribute 16 million USD annually to Oregon's economy.
4) Roscoe Wind Farm
The Roscoe Wind Farm, situated 45 miles southwest of Abilene, Texas, ranks as the fourth largest wind farm in the United States. The wind farm is situated on around 100,000 acres of land and comprises four operational wind farms, namely Roscoe, Champion, Pyron and Inadale. Owned and operated by E.ON Climate and Renewables (EC&R), a German-based company, this 781 MW facility comprises 627 wind turbines. Constructed in four phases from 2007 to 2009, the initial two phases installed a capacity of 325.5 MW, while the third and fourth phases added an additional 446 MW. The Roscoe Wind Farm commenced commercial operations in 2009.
5) Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center
The Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center is the fifth largest wind farm in the U.S., covering nearly 47,000 acres of land. Also located in Texas in Nolan County, it has a capacity of 735.5 MW and was commissioned in four stages between 2005 and 2006. The project supplies enough clean energy to power 220,600 households and was developed and is owned by NextEra Energy Resources.
6) Capricorn Ridge Wind Farm
The Capricorn Ridge Wind Farm is the sixth largest wind farm in the country, covering around 11,000 acres of land in Sterling and Coke Counties, Texas. With commercial operations beginning in 2007, it has a generating capacity of 364 megawatts of wind energy, consisting of 143 1.5-megawatt GE turbines and 65 2.3-megawatt Siemens turbines.
The Capricorn Ridge Wind Project stands out as the first in the U.S. to sell verified offsets under the VCS. Unlike most wind projects in the country, which depend on long-term contracts, Capricorn Ridge operates as a merchant plant, catering to the spot market. The absence of a long-term contract further underscores the additionality of the offsets it produces.
Which State has the Most Wind Farms?
Texas has the most wind farms in the U.S., which is no surprise given that Texas leads the country in wind energy generation. Texas has more than 19,000 active wind turbines, according to the most recent report from the U.S. Wind Turbine Database from September 2024. Texas has more active wind turbines than the next three states combined, Iowa (6,481), California (5,509), and Oklahoma (5,527). The Great Plains region of the U.S. has the most wind farms.
Benefits of Wind Farms in the United States
There are many benefits to wind farm development in the United States. Wind farm development and operations provide employment opportunities, adds a tax base to the counties where the wind farms are located, delivers lease payments to landowners, creates no air or water pollution, allows land to remain in agricultural use, and supports the local economy through purchases of regional goods and services.
How to Find Wind Farms in the U.S.
There are hundreds of wind farms in the U.S., and even more are currently planned for construction. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the United States has just over 145 gigawatts (GW) of installed wind energy capacity from about 73,000 turbines across 43 states. The total wind capacity projected in 2030 is 224.07 GW across 47 states, which would be an increase of 110.66 GW from 2020.
Using LandGate's LandApp tool, you can pinpoint the location of active, building, planned, and queued wind farm projects across the country. Subscribe to LandApp for $10/ month to access nationwide wind farm maps:
Wind leases provide property owners with the opportunity to generate revenue while contributing to local economic growth and the fight against climate change. If you're interested in leasing your land for a wind farm, you can list your property for lease for free on LandGate's marketplace. Listing is free, with no obligation to accept any offers: