Another Great Year for Wind Power

December 18, 2020 -

This year shows strong
growth for wind power
when the total global installed capacity added a record
62,000 MW, making the total capacity more than
480,000 MW. Wind power is by far the renewable source
with the largest growth in worldwide capacity during
the last decade.
The US was quite slow adopting wind power
compared to many European countries, but passed
Germany as the biggest producer of wind power in the
world in year 2013. US now has a capacity of 84,000
MW compared to 48,000 MW for Germany. China was
the country with the strongest growth related to the
total capacity, adding another 25% and still the third
biggest producer in the world with 30,000 MW installed.
US is though behind Europe when it comes to wind
power as part of the total electricity demand, serving
only 6%, compared to 12,7% for Europe. Denmark is
with 40% still the country with the highest share of
wind energy, most likely reaching 50% within the next
five years. Even though wind power as a renewable
resource has its environmental advantages, the
increasing demand for wind power is related to the low
cost for the energy output, pressed down with more
efficient larger wind turbines and the maturity of the
market.
The trend in the last decade of wind energy has
been towards more offshore sites. In Europe, offshore
now counts for about 19% of all wind power capacity,
compared to less than 2% 15 years ago. The already
projected wind farms give a forecast of about 50% of
the total European capacity to be offshore by year 2030.
Argument: Wind power has had a strong growth during
the last decade and will continue to. The numbers are
from the European Wind Energy Association,
the American Wind Energy Association, the Danish Wind
Industry Association, the German WindEnergy
Association.
Companies call for EU single energy market

Two days before the first-ever EU summit on

energy, twenty European companies and associations
are calling on EU Heads of State to show the courage
and vision to create a single market for electricity by
2015.
It comes just a few days before the 25th
anniversary of the signing of the Single European Act on
17 February 1986, and reminds leaders attending the
summit that 25 years ago European Heads of State
showed courage and vision by creating a single
European market. Today's leaders must show similar
determination in achieving a single market in
electricity.
Companies already supporting the declaration:
Acciona, Enercon, Enel Green Power, EON Climate
& Renewables, GE Energy, Mainstream Renewable
Power, PPC Renewables, RES, Siemens, SSE
Renewables, Vattenfall and Vestas.

Associations already supporting the declaration:

European Biomass Association (AEBIOM), 
European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC), the 
European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA), the
European Renewable Energy Council (EREC), the
European Solar Thermal Electricity Association
(ESTELA),  European Biomass Industry Association
(EUBIA), European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) and
the Friends of the Supergrid.

Declaration on the Single European Energy Market:

"A Europe without its single market is unthinkable.
It has boosted trade, competition and prosperity in
Europe, created millions of new jobs, provided wider
consumer choice, and a hugely expanded market for
business.
But 25 years after the signing of the Single
European Act there is still no single market in
electricity.
European legislation has guaranteed some choice of
electricity provider, but only 5% of Europe's electricity
is traded across borders. As a consequence,
competition is inefficient and allows electricity
suppliers to pass any increase in the price of the coal,
gas - or in the future carbon - straight onto the
consumer without risk of significant loss of business.
This is not acceptable.
A properly functioning European market in
electricity would have many benefits:
 increased competition leading, in the long-term, to
reduced electricity prices
 improved security of supply (and reduced risk of
blackouts)
 reaping the full advantages of fuel-free, pollution-
free renewable energy sources produced in ever
greater quantities in many parts of Europe
 opportunities for increased trade in electricity
regardless of the source
In order to achieve a single market in electricity,
Europe needs both the infrastructure to transport
electricity from one part of Europe to another, and a
common set of market rules. An interconnected system
of roads, railways, shipping and air routes throughout
Europe is a precondition for maintaining Europe's four
freedoms, created by the Single European Act 25 years
ago: the free movement of goods, services, capital and
labour. Europe needs a fifth freedom – the free
movement of electricity across borders – and effective
competition and an interconnected electricity grid are
key to establishing it.
25 years ago European leaders showed courage and
vision by creating a single European market. Today's
leaders must show similar determination in achieving a
single market in electricity, and the Heads of State
have the opportunity to show such courage and vision
by agreeing on 4 February to create a single market for
electricity by 2015."

EWEA 2010 statistics: Offshore and Eastern Europe new

growth drivers for wind power in Europe

9.3 gigawatt (GW) of new wind power capacity was

installed in the EU during 2010, reaching a total of 84
GW by the end of 2010, according to figures released
today by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) 
and coinciding with today's publication by the European
Commission on financing renewable energy.
While offshore wind power installations grew 51% from
582 MW in 2009 to 883 MW last year, onshore wind
power installations (8.4 GW) were down 13.9%
compared to 2009 (9.7 GW).
"These figures are a warning that we cannot take for
granted the continued financing of renewable energy"
said Christian Kjaer. "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. Today's
communication from the Commission on the financing
of renewables is a start,  as long as it is followed up
quickly by the Commission putting its proposals into
action."
Total investments in new wind power plant was
unchanged at € 13 billion, compared to 2009, due to the
larger share of offshore wind capacity.
Newly installed capacity in 2010 (9.3 GW) was 10%
down on 2009 (10.3 GW).
"Remarkable growth in the onshore wind markets of
Romania, Poland and Bulgaria could not make up for the
decline in new onshore installations in Spain, Germany
and the UK. Strong development of the offshore wind
market was led by the UK, Denmark and Belgium," said
Christian Kjaer, Chief Executive Officer of EWEA.
The overall market for renewable power capacity,
including wind, solar, hydro and biomass, reached
record levels in 2010, increasing 31% from 17.5 GW in
2009 to 22.6 GW in 2010. Renewable energy accounted
for 41% of all new installations.
Wind power installations accounted for 17% of new
electricity generating capacity in 2010, the first year
since 2007 that the EU did not install more wind power
than any other generating technology. The EU
continues to move away from fuel oil and nuclear power
for electricity production, decommissioning more old
capacity than installing new capacity. However, for only
the second time since 1998, the EU installed more coal
power capacity than it decommissioned in 2010. 28 GW
of new gas capacity was installed last year, compared
to 6.6 GW in 2009. Gas represented 51% of all new
power capacity in 2010.
The wind power capacity installed by the end of 2010
will, in a normal wind year, produce 181 TWh of
electricity (up from 163 TWh), meeting 5.3% of overall
EU electricity consumption (4.8% in 2009).
Record 51% Growth for EU Offshore Wind Power in 2010

With 308 new offshore wind turbines installed in 2010 -

an increase of 51% in installed wind power capacity on
the previous year - offshore wind power experienced a
new record growth in Europe.

With 308 new offshore wind turbines installed in 2010 -

an increase of 51% in installed wind power capacity on
the previous year - offshore wind power experienced a
new record growth in Europe.
In total, 883 Megawatt (MW) of new capacity, worth
some €2.6 billion, were installed in 2010 in nine wind
farms in five countries, making a total of 2,964 MW.
The installed offshore wind power capacity now
supplies the equivalent of 2.9 million average EU
households with electricity –comparable with the
amounts of power consumed by the cities Berlin and
Brussels together – from a total of 1,136 offshore wind
turbines. In a normal wind year they would produce 11.5
Terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity. 
These figures are published by the European Wind
Energy Association (EWEA) in its “European offshore
wind industry - key trends and statistics 2010” today  in
Brussels. 
 
They show the United Kingdom to be European (and
world) leader, with a total installed offshore wind
capacity of 1,341 Megawatt (MW). The UK is followed
by Denmark (854 MW), The Netherlands (249 MW),
Belgium (195 MW), Sweden (164 MW), Germany (92 MW),
Ireland (25 MW), Finland (26 MW) and Norway with 2.3
MW.
 
EWEA’s Chief Executive, Christian Kjaer commented:
“With over 50% percent market growth, 2010 sets a
new record for European offshore wind energy.
Meanwhile, the 29 new offshore turbine models
announced during 2010 show a growing commitment to
the offshore wind energy sector by large, global
industrial players, offering a real boost for Europe’s
economy, its efforts to tackle climate change, create
green jobs and exports while reducing our dependence
on imported fuel”. 
 
During 2010, 29 new offshore turbine models were
announced by 21 manufacturers: 44 new turbine models
have been announced by 33 manufacturers over the last
two years.
 
2010 saw an improving financing environment with
private banks, financial institutions like the European
Investment Bank (EIB), utilities and pension funds
backing the sector. Two major deals completed in 2010
highlighted the brighter financial outlook: Thornton
Bank C-Power and Trianel Wind Farm Borkum West both
came to financial close.

“Finance remains a big challenge but we are seeing

improvements with more banks and other financing
institutions ready to invest in large offshore wind
projects,” commented Kjaer.
 
EWEA forecasts continued strong growth next year.
Between 1,000 and 1,500 MW of new offshore wind
power capacity is expected to be fully grid connected in
Europe during 2011, compared with 883 MW of new
capacity in 2010.
 
Ten European wind farms are currently under
construction with a total of 3,000 MW – these will more
than double the installed capacity in the 45 already grid
connected offshore wind farms. 
 
EWEA research shows that a total of 19,000 MW of
offshore wind capacity is already fully consented. If
constructed, it would generate 66.6 Terawatt hours of
electricity in a normal wind year - enough to supply 14
of the largest capitals in Europe with electricity,
including Paris, London and Berlin. Not included in this
figure is large additional offshore wind energy capacity
planned but not yet fully consented in the UK.