The worldwide wind capacity reached 296,255 MW by the end of June 2013, 13,980 MW of which were added in the first six months of 2013. This increase is significantly less than in the first half of 2012 and 2011, when 16.5 GW and 18.4 GW were added, respectively. These figures were published in the Half-year report of the World Wind Energy Association (WWEA).
Global wind capacity grew by 5 % within six months (after having grown 7 % during the same period in 2012 and 9 % in 2011) and by 16.6 % in one year (mid-2013 compared with mid-2012). By comparison, the annual growth rate in 2012 was significantly higher (19 %). All wind turbines installed worldwide by mid-2013 can generate around 3.5 % of the world’s electricity demand.
WWEA President Prof. He Dexin commented: "The year 2013 is a difficult year for the wind industry worldwide, as companies have to struggle with a shrinking market. This situation has already led to a decrease in wind turbine prices, which will make wind power even more cost competitive. Although we face some challenges currently, we are still confident that wind power will continue to develop well in the future. As a result, we see bright prospects for this technology, which will become even more cost-competitive."
"Wind power has already taken substantial market shares away from the fossil and nuclear energy sectors in several countries around the world. What we can observe now is an increasing resistance from the fossil and nuclear power sectors who are becoming more and more afraid of losing market shares. However, we are very confident that the benefits of wind power – practically zero emissions, de-centralised economic and social benefits, security of supply and more - will make it very difficult to beat this technology," WWEA Secretary General Stefan Gsänger added.
Katharina Garus
Photovoltaic Feed