The U.S. Government’s finical backing of the wind energy industry has paid off. The America Wind Energy Association announced that 2012 was a record year in electric generating capacity.

The milestone of 60,000 gig watts was reached in just five months after the AWEA announced that the U.S. industry had 50,000 megawatts installed.

“We are excited that 2012 proved to be the largest in U.S. history in regards to electric generating capacity,” TPI Composites General Manager Mark Parriott said. “We are also happy that in the closing hours Congress extended the wind energy tax credits.”