China’s Wind Power Total Higher than First Believed

The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) and two Chinese energy associations have just released a new much higher total for wind power installed in China last year.

GWEC, along with the Chinese Wind Energy Association (CWEA) and the Chinese Renewable Energy Industry Association (CREIA), issued a press release on Wednesday saying that China added 18.9 GW of new capacity in 2010, up from the 16.5 GW estimate released earlier.

The new total brought installed Chinese capacity to 44.7 GW by the end of 2010, higher than the earlier 42.2 GW estimate.

“China has become the single largest driver for global wind power development,” GWEC Secretary General Steve Sawyer said in a press release. “In 2010, every second wind turbine that was added anywhere in the world was installed in China.”

China’s wind market doubled every year between 2005 and 2009 in terms of total installed capacity, the press release said, adding China overtook the United States last year as the country with the most installed wind energy capacity.

By Chris Rose (ewea)

[mappress]

Source: ewea, April 07, 2011