According to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), the world’s installed wind power capacity should reach close to 200 GW by the end of this year.
Around 40 GW of new capacity has been added this year alone, making it a banner year for wind power on the global stage. While the US market is expected to be a little down due to the lingering effects of the global financial crisis, stronger growth in China will compensate and the European market remains rock-solid.
GWEC forecasts that global wind power will double between now and 2014, reaching in excess of 400 GW and primarily driven by growth in China, the US and Europe.
However, new countries are also entering the wind energy club, with what the GWEC says are very encouraging signs from countries in Latin America; including Brazil, Mexico and Chile, as well as Northern and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Over the longer term, an outlook for global wind power growth will be presented by GWEC in October during the China Wind Power 2010 conference. The “Global Wind Energy Outlook 2010” report will show that 1,000 GW of installed capacity could potentially be operating world-wide by 2020, and as much as 2,300 GW by 2030.
The GWEC is a representative forum for the wind energy sector at the international level. Its mission is to ensure that wind power establishes itself as one of the world’s leading energy sources, providing substantial environmental and economic benefits.
