More wind energy was added to the nation's grid last year than any other power source, according to a new report by the American Wind Energy Association.

The 8.6 gigawatts of wind power capacity installed in 2015, which surpassed the 7.3 GW of new solar photovoltaic capacity and 6 GW installed by natural gas, the association reported. Wind accounted for more than 35 percent of new generating capacity, while all renewable resources together provided 68 percent of the new capacity.

"Wind's growth is being propelled by cost reductions of two-thirds over the last six years, which now makes wind the lowest-cost source of new generation," AWEA CEO Tom Kiernan told attendees at the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners' winter meeting in Washington, D.C., Tuesday.

The wind energy industry was given a boost last year when Congress agreed to extend a tax credit for renewable energy generation to 2020. However, it was also dealt a minor setback earlier this month when the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to halt plans to limit greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants, at least until a lower court had the chance to review the rule.

In a statement, AWEA said that despite the court order, state and utilities would continue to develop energy sources that do not rely on fossil fuels.

"Many utilities have already indicated that the stay will not affect their planned generation changes; many recognize carbon reductions are inevitable, and the Supreme Court has already affirmed in multiple rulings that EPA has the authority and obligation to regulate greenhouse gas emissions," the association said. http://bit.ly/1TnKrhF

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