GP: Wind Energy Use Grows by 31%

["Tom Gray" <tomgray@igc.org>]

The following article is from the current issue of "Wind Energy Weekly."
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WORLD WIND CAPACITY GROWS
BY MORE THAN 30% IN 2001
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	World wind electric generating capacity climbed from 17,800 MW in 2000 to
an estimated 23,300 MW in 2001, according to preliminary data released
January 8 by Lester Brown’s Earth Policy Institute--a dramatic one-year gain
of 5,500 MW or 31%.  The cumulative capacity total can meet the needs of
some 23 million people, the Institute said, asuming that 1 MW will satisfy
the electricity needs of 350 households in an industrial society, or roughly
1,000 people.

	Other findings released by the Institute include:

*	Since 1995, world wind power capacity has increased by 487%, or nearly
five-fold.  During the same period, the use of coal has declined by 9%.

*	In wind power capacity, Germany continues to lead the world with 8,000 MW,
nearly a third of the total. The United States stayed in second place, now
with a total of over 4,200 MW installed.  Spain remained in third place,
with 3,300 MW.  Denmark, in fourth with 2,500 MW, now gets 18% of its
electricity from wind.

*	Two-thirds of the capacity added in 2001 was concentrated in the top three
countries: Germany added 1,890 MW; the United States, more than 1,600; and
Spain, 1,065.  For the United States, this translates into a growth in
generating capacity of more than 60% in 2001.

	Even more impressive than the recent growth in generating capacity, the
Institute said, are the plans for future growth.  The European Wind Energy
Association has recently revised its 2010 wind capacity projections for
Europe from 40,000 MW to 60,000 MW.  France announced in December, 2000,
that it would develop 5,000 MW of wind-generating capacity during this
decade.  Argentina said in December, 2000, that it was planning to develop
3,000 MW of wind power capacity in Patagonia.  In April, 2001, the United
Kingdom sold offshore lease rights for an estimated 1,500 MW of capacity to
several bidders, including Shell Renewables.  And in May, a report from
Beijing indicated that China would develop up to 2,500 MW of wind capacity
by 2005.  A survey of some 70 wind developers in Germany indicates that they
plan to install 2,500 MW of capacity in 2002 and a similar amount in 2003.
If they succeed, they will surpass the German government's 2010 goal of
12,500 MW by the end of 2003.

	In the United States, the wind industry installed more than twice as much
capacity in 2001 than it has in any other single year in history--over 1,600
MW.  Texas alone installed more than 900 MW, including what is now the
world's largest wind farm, the 278-MW King Mountain Wind Ranch (see earlier
story).  [For complete project details, go to http://www.awea.org/projects .
A more detailed report of U.S. wind power capacity additions in 2001 will be
included in next week's Wind Energy Weekly]


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