Europe whips up wind capacity

Europe has maintained its lead in wind power generation, according to a report from the Worldwatch Institute. The EU region added another 18 per cent of capacity in 2007 and now accounts for 60 per cent of global installed capacity.

In total, global wind power capacity rose by 27 per cent to more than 94,100Mw, exceeding analysts expectations, says the report.

Despite switching much of its renewables investment from wind to solar in 2007, Germany alone accounts for 24 per cent of the world’s wind-sourced energy with 22,247Mw, approximately seven per cent of Germany’s total generation capacity.

The US is ranked second in the report with 16,818Mw, having added 5,244Mw of capacity in 2007. Renewable energy mandates in 25 states and the District of Colombia and the Federal Production Tax Credit, rewarding renewable energy producers, drove the increases in the US says the report.

The tax credit is due to expire at the end of 2008.

“But if Congress acts quickly to extend the tax credit, the US will likely pass Germany to lead the world… within the next two years,” predicted Janet Sawin, Worldwatch senior researcher and the author of the report.

Other factors are set to drive US wind power capacity. A much-anticipated study by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas into the transmission infrastructure required to link turbines in windy parts of western Texas with cities in central and eastern Texas, has concluded that the costs of building an infrastructure would be far outweighed by the benefits, with payback in three years.

The report looked at the cost and savings of adding 5,100Mw and 11,600Mw of capacity. Turbines in Texas already account for about a quarter of US wind capacity.

Meanwhile, US oil tycoon T Boone Pickens is investing $10bn in 4,000Mw of wind capacity across Texas over the next four years.

According to an article in the Guardian, Pickens, 79, has a grand plan for US energy independence, based on wind farms stretching from Texas, north through the Great Plains, and solar farms from Texas to southern California.

Spain led Europe in new installations in 2007, according to Wordwatch’s study, and now ranks third worldwide in total wind capacity with 15,145Mw.

China was the report’s biggest surprise in terms of new installations and now has 6,050Mw of wind capacity. But a quarter of this is yet to be connected to the grid because of planning problems, according to Worldwatch.