Wind energy gaining in Colorado

Colorado is among the nation’s top states in the development of wind energy. That’s according to a report released Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Energy.

The 2012 Wind Technologies Market Report found that Colorado last year installed 496 megawatts of new wind power capacity. The state has the capacity for about 2,301 megawatts of wind power.

Wind energy generation accounted for more than 13 percent of Colorado’s in-state energy generation last year. That ranked Colorado eighth in the nation, according to the report.

Nationwide, wind energy became the top new source of electricity generation for the first time last year. Wind represented 43 percent of all new electric additions.

The report warns that wind development should slow in 2013 because of fewer federal tax incentives.