Wind can produce 20 pct US electricity by 2030-DOE

WASHINGTON, May 12 (Reuters) - Wind energy could provide 20 percent of U.S. electricity by 2030, the same share of electricity now generated by nuclear power plants, the U.S. Department of Energy said on Monday.

In a report gauging the feasibility of wind power, the Energy Department found that wind energy could meet 20 percent of America's electricity needs by increasing the annual number of turbine installations from 2,000 in 2006 to almost 7,000 in 2017.

"To dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance our energy security, clean power generation at the gigawatt-scale will be necessary," Energy Department Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Andy Karsner said in a statement.

Boosting America's use of wind energy to 20 percent by 2030 would save 825 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually that help cause global warming, the department said. (Reporting by Ayesha Rascoe; Editing by Marguerita Choy)