European Wind Blows Strongest in 2017

Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Europe racked up another record year for wind energy in 2017, led by Germany, the U.K. and France.

The region saw the addition of 24.4 gigawatts (GW) last year, bringing the total wind capacity to 228.5 GW, up from 204.1 GW in 2016. Germany led the way with the addition of almost 6.6 GW of new capacity, followed by the U.K. with 4.2 GW and France with 1.7 GW. Germany accounts for more than a quarter of all of Europe's wind power with 56 GW, trailed by Spain with 23 GW and the U.K. with 14.6 GW.

The latest figures from the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) show that globally 2017 was a very strong year for wind growth with the total now standing at 539.5 GW, up from 487.6 GW in 2016. In 2007, the global total was just 94 GW.

"Europe had its best year ever, led by more than 6 GW in Germany, a very strong showing in the U.K., and a resurgence in the French market," GWEC stated. "Finland, Belgium, Ireland and Croatia also set new records. Offshore installations of more than 3,000 megawatts (MW) are a harbinger of things to come."

Steve Sawyer, GWEC Secretary General commented: "The numbers show a maturing industry, in transition to a market-based system, competing successfully with heavily subsidized incumbent technologies. The transition to fully commercial market-based operation has left policy gaps in some countries, and the global 2017 numbers reflect that, as will installations in 2018. Wind is the most competitively priced technology in many if not most markets; and the emergence of wind/solar hybrids, more sophisticated grid management and increasingly affordable storage begin to paint a picture of what a fully commercial fossil-free power sector will look like."

He added: "The dramatic price drops for wind technology have put a big squeeze on the profits up and down the whole supply chain. But we're fulfilling our promise to provide the largest quantity of carbon-free electricity at the lowest price. Smaller profit margins are a small price to pay for leading the energy revolution."

GWEC highlighted the growing competitiveness of wind energy versus other renewables and traditional fossil-fuel based power. Markets ranging from Morocco and India to Mexico and Canada had windfarms producing power in the area of $0.03 per kilowatt hour (/kWh), with a recent Mexican tender coming in with prices below $0.02. In Europe, the world's first "subsidy-free" offshore wind tender in Germany was successful with tenders for more than 1 GW of new offshore capacity receiving no more than the wholesale price of electricity.

Last year, Industrial Info reported on the proposed building of the world's first offshore windfarms without government financial aid. In Germany's first wind power auction, three of the four windfarms accepted--known as 'zero-sum' windfarms--will be built with no financial help. Ørsted (Fredericia, Denmark) will build the 240-megawatt (MW) OWP West and the 240-MW Borkum Riffgrund West 2 offshore windfarms, while EnBW (FWB:EBK) (Karlsruhe, Germany) will build the 900-MW He Dreiht offshore windfarm without subsidies. For additional information, see April 20, 2017, article - World's First 'Subsidy-Free' Windfarms Get German OK.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Our European headquarters are located in Galway, Ireland. Follow IIR Europe on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn For more information on our European coverage send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.eu or visit us online at Industrial Info Europe.