Wind Energy | previous page South Dakota Wind Energy Potential
South Dakota ranks in the top five states for wind energy
potential. In a recent study, South Dakota was estimated to have
the potential to produce more than 3 million gigawatt-hours of
energy on annual basis. If this entire wind energy potential of
South Dakota was harnessed, it would be nearly enough to provide
power for the entire United States. While it is not feasible to
harness every breeze, wind farms in the state have reported
higher than industry standard capacity factors, which means the
quality of South Dakota wind is high. This wind resource map
shows how the wind is classified throughout South Dakota. NREL
has also developed a wind resource map for South Dakota's tribal
lands. Web site links found throughout www.puc.sd.gov are
intended to provide helpful resources. Inclusion of a Web link
on this site is not necessarily an endorsement of an
organization, product or service.