Wind Energy is the largest renewable energy source in the globe right now (if you don’t count in hydro and nuclear energy). The total installed wind energy capacity exceeds the solar and biomass capacity by quite a margin at over 200 GW . The recent surge in wind energy installations has been from China which put up almost 40-50% of the global wind turbine installations in 2010 and 2011. Now China has surpassed every other country to become the largest wind energy country in the world with over 60 GW. While Europe earlier led by Spain, Denamark and Germany used to lead in wind capacity, they have been comprehensively overtaken by the Middle Kingdom in the last couple of years. USA comes in next but still far below its potential while the rest of the world has started to pick up now. India is the 5th largest country and has been steadily putting up around 2-3 GW of wind capacity each year.
Solar Energy has grown tremendously in the last few years as prices have fallen drastically. At 26-27 GW it is only 40% behind wind and should overtake it in the next few years. Unlike Wind Energy, Solar Energy can be installed on roofs and the prices are falling much faster. China which has the most hydroelectric capacity in the world,leads in wind as well. It remains a matter of time before China overtakes Germany in Solar Energy as well.
Top 10 Countries Wind Electricity Capacity
- China 62,733 MW
- United States 46,919 MW
- Germany 29,060 MW
- Spain 21,674 MW.
- India 16,084 MW
- France 6,800 MW
- Italy 6,747 MW
- UK 6,540 MW
- Canada 5,265 MW
- Portugal 4,083 MW.
The next wave of wind energy growth is expected to come from
a) Offshore Wind Energy growth in Developed countries particularly in Europe
Offshore Wind Energy has been foretasted from around 3 GW to 75 GW by 2020 as countries in Europe,Asia and North America heavily support this industry.Onshore wind energy growth on the other hand is expected to slow down as 38 GW of Wind Capacity were installed in 2010 with Western Markets showing a sharp slowdown.Offshore Wind is seeing increasing growth as government heavily subsidize and support Offshore Wind Energy.Though the costs of offshore wind parks are much higher today,they will decrease as the installed offshore wind capacity increases from around 3 GW today to around 75 GW which is being foretasted globally by 2020.
b) Further development of Wind Energy in Developing Countries particularly South America and Asia. China intends to keep building around 25 GW of wind capacity each year to keep up with its skyrocketing energy demand growth
China adds around 100 GW of Electric Power Capacity each year to meet the growing energy demands of its population. Most of it is thermal power which is becoming costlier besides the dangerous disadvantages of coal. China has been trying to increase its hydro and nuclear power capacity, but nuclear energy has received a setback with Fukushima. Solar Power in China is also increasing but it will take time as well to satisfy the electricity deficit. China is already the largest wind power market in the world installing almost 50% of the wind capacity in 2010.I t intends to keep up the furious pace of wind turbine installations at around 25 GW per year for the next 35 years to reach 1000 GW by 2050.
Electricity Generating Capacity by Country
The world’s total electricity generating capacity is around 4500 GW (2007 figures) which is expected to increase by 1.7% each year to rise to 7000 GW by 2035 according to EIA.USA is still the world’s largest electricity producing country with more than 20% of the world’s power capacity with around 1 Terawatts of Electricity Capacity.China has been rapidly adding capacity in the last decade and the second biggest electricity producing country with more than 700 GW
USA 995 GW
China 716 GW
Japan 279 GW
Russia 221 GW
India 159 GW
Germany 140 GW
Canada 125 GW
Brazil 100 GW
South Korea 79 GW
