The World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) has released its World Wind Energy Report for 2009 that showed a growth rate of 31.7%, the highest rate since 2001.
Worldwide, 38,312 MW of wind power capacity was added reaching 159,213 MW for 2009, continuing to further the trend that wind capacity doubles every three years after 120,903 MW in 2008, 93,930 MW in 2007, 74,123 MW in 2006, and 59,012 MW in 2005. All wind turbines installed by the end of 2009 worldwide are generating 340 TWh per annum, equivalent to the total electricity demand of
The report also notes that the global economic crisis has not had an effect on the wind energy sector as investment during 2009 exceeded all previous years. It is also anticipated to continue its uphill stride and offers the employment sector some good news. As 550,000 people were employed in 2009, the wind industry is expected for the first time to offer one million jobs in 2012. “Within only four years, the wind sector worldwide more than doubled the number of jobs from 235,000 in 2005 to 550,000 in the year 2009. These 550,000 employees in the wind sector worldwide, most of them highly-skilled jobs, are contributing to the generation of 340 TWh of electricity. By the end of the year 2010, 670,000 employees are expected, and in 2012, the number of jobs is expected to reach one million,” the report stated.
Milestones helped further the sector’s expansion such as the first feed-in tariff (FIT) enacted in North America while
Meanwhile, the highest growth rates of the year 2009 with more than 100% could be found in Mexico which quadrupled its installed capacity, once again in Turkey (132%) which had the highest rate in the previous year, in China (113%), as well as in Morocco (104%).
The report also details Africa’s involvement in the wind energy sector, an excerpt follows:
All wind turbines installed in Africa in 2009 had a capacity of 770 MW (0,5% of the total worldwide capacity), out of which 169 MW were added, in two countries,
However, an increasing number of African governments were getting aware of the potentials of wind energy in their countries and showed interest in setting up the necessary frameworks. A major breakthrough was the introduction of the first feed-in tariff on the continent by the South African National Electricity Regulator NERSA – whose effective implementation will be decisive in the year 2010. With the new regulations in place,
New wind projects are on the way in the leading countries
It is encouraging to see that industrial activities in manufacturing of wind turbines have started on the continent as well, mainly in
In light of the fact that the majority of the African population still has no access to electricity grids, small, decentralised and stand-alone wind energy systems, in combination with other renewable energies, will have to play a key role. This process of deploying technologies for rural electrification is still in its early stage. The main limiting factors are still the lack of access to know-how as well as to financial resources.
In this context, the outcome of the UN climate change discussions and the potential establishment of a Global Fund for Renewable Energy Investment would offer huge opportunities for many African countries to bypass one of the major barriers for wind energy investments: the lack of financing options.
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