China Rules the Wind Market with 40% of Global Demand and Market Leading Companies

China continues to rule the global wind energy market generating around 40% of the global demand in 2011 with 18 GW of wind turbine installations. The dominance of the Chinese is underlined from the fact that they installed 3 times more wind energy than USA which is a bigger electricity market. China also dominates in supplying wind equipment to the global market. Its companies like Sinovel, Mingyang and Goldwind are starting to win marketshare in overseas market .These companies which are trying to grow outside to escape the glut in the domestic market have won some major overseas orders.

China will continue to install massive amounts of wind energy in the coming years and its domestic companies will benefit the most .Even as the earlier dominating companies like Vestas, Gamesa and Sulzon fight to survive, Chinese wind turbine markets are thriving with 7 of the top 15 global wind energy companies from China. The other major rising power India is 3rd with 3 GW of installations in 2011 . Brazil has become one of the fastest growing markets with 1.5 GW of isntallations. With most of the European markets saturated and not growing , focus has shifted towards wind markets in Africa, Asia and South America. USA will see a strong 2012 as well but non renewal of tax breaks in 2013 might mean a sudden stop there.

The Chinese have not only captured most of the top rankings of the biggest solar panel producers in the world,they have extended their lead into Wind Energy as well.7 of the top 15 positions in Global Wind Turbine Producers are Chinese according to a new ranking.Sinovel and Goldwind have become the No.2 and No.4 rankers in the world with more than 10% global marketshare each.Dongfang is the other top Chinese wind power company with a 7% marketshare.United Power is at 10.Other top Chinese wind energy companies are Mingyang,Sewind and XEMC China.

The slowdown in the Western Markets has led to huge problems for dominant Western firms like Gamesa and Vestas.It has led to painful restructuring for Vestas which has fired thousands of  workers from its domestic manufacturing base in Denmark.Gamesa has also seen management and ownership turmoil as WTG Orders have evaporated and its competitive position has eroded.GE,Suzlon,Gamesa and Vestas are all investing in the Chinese market which has grown exponentially in recent times and which is expected to form 50% of the Wind Energy Demand till the next few years.

How China will install 25 GW on average for the next 38years

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. China already has around 7 of the top 15 wind turbine producers. However a  vicious price war has thrown a lot of the wind producers into bankruptcy.

Wind Power Market Rose to 41 Gigawatts in 2011, Led by China

The global wind power market rose 6 percent to 41 gigawatts last year, led by China, which captured more than two-fifths of the total, the Global Wind Energy Council said today in a report.

China installed 18 gigawatts of turbines in 2011, followed by the U.S. with 6.8 gigawatts and India’s 3 gigawatts. Germany, the U.K., Canada and Spain followed, according to the Brussels- based industry lobby group.