Installed Capacity of Wind Power Grows 35% in Italy in 2008

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--In 2008, Italy's installed capacity of wind power generation grew at a record rate of 35%, according to a report jointly published by Associazione Nazionale Energia del Vento (ANEV), Associazione Produttori Energia da Fonti Rinnovabili, Ente per le Nuove Tecnologie, l'Energia e l'Ambiente (ENEA) and GSE. This means an increase of 1,010.4 megawatts (MW). The growth in the Italian market matches the overall scenario in Europe, where wind-power facilities represented 43% of the newly installed generation capacity during 2008.

Southern Italy's Apulia region, which currently has the majority of installed capacity, had the biggest increase, from 301 MW in 2005 up to 714 MW by the end of 2008. The prospects of growth are also remarkable from offshore windfarms. With a current installed capacity of 800-kilowatts (kW) on the shore of Brindisi in Apulia, the expected installed capacity by 2015 is 827 MW. By 2010, the offshore windfarm of Termoli on the Molise shore should be operational with an installed capacity of 162 MW.

This expansion could be advantageous in two ways. The Italian economy is suffering a slowdown because of the international economic crisis. According to the Istituto Nazionale di Statistica the gross domestic product fell 0.9% in the third quarter of 2008 compared with the same period of 2007, and the industrial product fell at an average of 4.3% during 2008. Investments in wind power generation could contribute to Italy's economic recovery. In fact, the European Commission recognized the importance of stimulating offshore wind power generation technology as a way of helping European countries recover. For related information, view January 30, 2009, news article - Offshore Generation to Take Increasing Slice of European Wind Power. The impact on employment should also be considered. As reported by ANEV in 2008, the overall number of jobs directly and indirectly created by the wind power sector could increase from 13,630 in 2007 up to 66,010 in 2020.

The expansion of wind energy will help to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases. In 2008, wind energy production totaled 6 terawatts-hours (TWh), equivalent to 2% of the gross internal consumption, and cut 4.5 millions tons of carbon dioxide emissions. According to the "Climate Change Performance Index" elaborated by the German Watch, Italy ranked 44th out of 57 countries. Since the signature of the Kyoto Protocol, Italy's emission of greenhouse gases increased.

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