Spain a pioneer in wind power

Feb 6, 2008 - EFE (energycentral.com)

Spain, the United States and China were the world leaders last year in wind power, an alternative energy source whose global installed capacity grew 27 percent, according to Global Wind Energy Council, or GWEC, figures.

Spain expanded its capacity by 3,515 MW last year, a figure exceeded only by the 5,244 MW installed by the United States and China's 3,449 MW addition to its capacity.

"Total installed wind energy capacity now stands at over 15 GW in Spain," GWEC said.

Germany ranks first in the world, with 22.3 GW of installed wind power capacity, followed by the United States, with 16.8 GW.

"The growth rates we are experiencing in wind energy continue to exceed our most optimistic expectations," GWEC Secretary-General Steve Sawyer said. "Globally, wind energy has become a mainstream energy source and an important player in the world's energy markets, and it now contributes to the energy mix in more than 70 countries across the globe."

The GWEC report called Spain "the big surprise in the European market" because of its push to expand installed wind power capacity last year.

"The capacity of new wind turbines brought on line across Europe last year was 8,662 MW. Total wind power capacity installed by the end of 2007 reached 57,135 MW and will avoid about 90 million tons of CO2 annually and produce 119 TWh in an average wind year," GWEC said.

"It is positive that wind energy is now increasing more than any other power technology in Europe, making up 40 percent of total new power installations," European Wind Energy Association CEO Christian Kjaer said.

GWEC noted, however, that even though Europe continued to be the leader in wind power, the continent accounted for only 43 percent of new global installed capacity, down from 75 percent in 2004.

For the first time in decades, more than half the annual market for wind power in 2007 was outside Europe, a trend likely to continue in the future. EFE