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Report shows slowing wind installation in 2010
- 13 years ago (2011-02-03)
- Junior Isles
The rate of wind turbine installations slowed 7 per cent last year, though almost 36 GW of wind capacity was installed worldwide, according to figures released by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).
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This represents an investment of around €47.3 billion ($65.1 billion), GWEC said.
Total installed global wind capacity reached 194.4 GW at the end of 2010, a 22.5 per cent overall growth during the year. However, this was down from 2009, when 38.6 GW of wind turbines came online.
China accounted for almost half of 2010’s installations, adding 16.5 GW last year.
Other developing countries also saw substantial growth in wind capacity, notably India, which added 2.1 GW.
“Wind power is now rapidly expanding beyond the traditional ‘rich country’ markets, a clear sign of its growing competitiveness,” said GWEC secretary general Steve Sawyer. “This is a trend we are expecting to see developing further in the future, not only in Asia. We are also seeing encouraging signs in Latin America, especially Brazil and Mexico, and in both Northern and sub-Saharan Africa.”
Brazil added 326 MW of capacity last year, while Mexico added 316 MW.
However, growth in developing countries was offset by declining rates of installation in Europe and the US.
While the US saw wind installation rates halve last year, installation rates in Europe dropped 10 per cent to 9.3 GW, according to statistics released by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) last week. This represents an investment of about €12.7 billion, according to EWEA, the vast majority (€10.1 billion) being used to build offshore wind capacity
European onshore wind installations dropped nearly 14 per cent to 8.4 GW in 2010. Offshore wind installations were up 51 per cent, although from a much lower base – 883 MW of offshore wind was installed in Europe in 2010, compared to 582 MW in 2009.
Mirroring the global trend identified by GWEC, within Europe there has also been a decline in installation rates in ‘traditional’ wind countries, while eastern European countries are starting to become players. Germany, Spain and Denmark’s share of the EU market has shrunk below 40 per cent, EWEA found, while for the first time Romania and Poland joined its list of the largest 10 markets for wind.
"These figures are a warning that we cannot take for granted the continued financing of renewable energy" said Christian Kjaer, CEO of EWEA. "Better access to financing is urgently needed, and the European Union must act without delay to prevent Europe losing its leadership in wind power and other renewable technologies.”