After going through a rough patch during the last few years, the global wind industry is on the path to recovery.
According to the latest global wind statistics released by the Belgium-based Global Wind Energy Council, new wind generating capacity of 51,477 MW was added in 2014 representing 44 per cent increase in the annual market. The global annual installed wind capacity in 2013 was 35,708 MW. At the end of 2014, the global cumulative installed wind capacity stood at 369,553 MW, up from 318,596 MW in 2013.
China continued to drive growth in the sector during 2014. With installation of 23,351 MW of new wind power, the country accounted for 45 per cent of the global annual installed wind capacity and 89 per cent of the Asian market’s total new installations of 26,161 MW last year.
| COUNTRY |
MW
|
% SHARE
|
| China* |
23,351
|
45.2
|
| Germany |
5,279
|
10.2
|
| USA |
4,854
|
9.4
|
| Brazil** |
2,472
|
4.8
|
| India |
2,315
|
4.5
|
| Canada |
1,871
|
3.6
|
| UK |
1,736
|
3.4
|
| Sweden |
1,050
|
2.0
|
| France |
1,042
|
2.0
|
| Turkey |
804
|
1.6
|
| Rest of the World |
6,702
|
13.0
|
| Total top 10 |
44,775
|
87
|
| World Total |
51,477
|
100
|
|
Source: GWEC
|
||
|
*Provisional figure ** Projects fully commissioned, grid connections pending in some cases
|
||
India came way behind China in terms of wind capacity addition and managed to install just 2,315 MW of new wind power in 2014. The international trade body for the wind power industry however said that the stage was now set for a new round of growth in the Indian market.
The European market grew marginally with 12,820 MW of new capacity in 2014. Germany, with 5,279 MW of new capacity, accounted for 10 per cent of the global annual installed wind capacity, thereby cementing its position as the European market leader. The US market recovered last year with installations of 4,854 MW new wind power.
Besides China, Germany, USA and India, the other countries among the world’s top ten in terms of new installed wind power capacity during the period January to December 2014 were Brazil (2,472 MW), Canada (1,871 MW), United Kingdom (1,736 MW), Sweden (1,050 MW), France (1,042 MW) and Turkey (804 MW).
