Wind development in Tennessee had received private investment mainly from the industry’s manufacturing, research, and supply chain.
Some companies working in the state are Barnhart Renewables, EnerNex, and Flash Tech. Oak Ridge national laboratory is also in the state, enabling advanced materials, testing, and prototyping research.
However, aside from Invenergy, which operates 15 wind turbines in Tennessee, there are no other large commercial investors in wind farms in the state. Nonetheless, the state is primarily low-carbon in its energy source, with nuclear and hydro accounting for over 50% of its electricity production.
Below is more information on Tennessee’s wind industry and its potential for wind energy and expansion in its wind energy sources.
How many wind turbines are there in Tennessee?
There are 18 turbines in Tennessee, owned by Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Invenergy.
How much wind energy does Tennessee produce in 2022?
The total installed capacity of wind farms in Tennessee is only 29 MW, which accounts for only 0.05% of all electricity generated in the state. This state production amount puts wind power at the bottom of the list. The 29 MW capacity comes from one wind farm, The Buffalo Mountain wind farm.
Nuclear is the number one power source of the state, followed by coal, natural gas, then hydro. Amongst clean energy sources, only hydro break the double digits at 15%. Solar is also low at 0.41%.
Electrical Grid Mix in Tennessee in 2022
| Power Source | Share of Grid Mix |
|---|---|
| Nuclear | 43.4% |
| Coal | 22.4% |
| Natural Gas | 17.8% |
| Hydro | 15.1% |
| Biomass | 0.8% |
| Solar | 0.4% |
| Oil | 0.15% |
| Wind | 0.05% |
Are there wind turbines in Tennessee in 2022?
The only commercial wind farm in Tennessee, the Buffalo Mountain wind project. Vestas manufactured the wind turbine used in the farm. 3 Vestas V47-0.66 MW were installed in 2000, followed by 15 Vestas V80-1.8 MW turbines in 2004.
Where is Buffalo Mountain Wind Farm?
Buffalo Mountain Wind Farm is settled northwest of Knoxville and North of Oak Ridge. It is the only operating commercial wind farm in Tennessee.
Invenergy and TVA split ownership of Buffalo Mountain Wind Farm.
Invenergy owns 15 turbines, while TVA owns the remaining three turbines. TVA also purchases the electricity produced by the 15 turbines owned by Invenergy.
| Wind Turbine Owner | Number of Turbines | Turbine Manufacturer | Turbine Capacity | Total Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invenergy | 15 | Vestas | 1.8 MW | 27 MW |
| Tennessee Valley Authority | 3 | Vestas | 0.66 MW | 2 MW |
The wind farm project provides power for 3,780 homes throughout the year.
Where are the wind farms in Tennessee located?
Buffalo Wind project is the only wind farm in the state, located north of Oak Ridge and Oliver Springs and Northwest of Knoxville.
Is Tennessee good for wind energy?
AWS Truepower and NREL measurements show significant wind energy at 100 meters, which Tennessee can harness for commercial wind power. The map shows speeds between 6 to 7 meters per second. Particular areas in the west offer good wind speeds, while the site in the southeast from Kimball going up to Jamestown in the northeast has potential, too.
Wind speeds at 50 meters only produce a maximum output within wind power class 1, which is classified as poor. However, for better assessment, specific measurements must be made per locality.
Tennessee can also harness kinetic energy from wind at 30-meter heights via some residential-grade turbines. At the given height, the wind speeds are below 4 meters per second, with some areas sparsely receiving 4 to 4.5 meters per second.
What is the Tennessee Valley Authority?
TVA is one of the largest electric utility corporations in the US. The company is federally owned but runs through its revenue without any federal budget.
TVA sells electricity to 154 local power companies and services 10 million people. Its network includes the states of Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and Mississippi.
TVA was awarded in 2012 by the American wind energy association as the ‘Utility of the Year’ for promoting electricity from wind energy to its customers in the southeast. The commitment of TVA is to progressively lower carbon emissions until it reaches net zero by 2050.
Where does Tennessee Valley Authority import its energy?
TVA has purchase agreements with many wind farms outside of the state of Tennessee.
These purchase agreements include White Oak Energy Center, Cimarron Wind Farm, Caney River Wind Farm, Bishop Hill Wind Energy Center, and California Ridge Wind Energy Center.
Expansion Plans
TVA released a request for procurement (RFP) for 5 GW of clean energy sources from 2023 to 2029. The RFP includes solar and winds with other clean fuel sources such as nuclear, biomass, and hydro.