From 28 till 30 June Wind Power Asia was organised for the fourth time in Beijing, China. Almost 200 companies participated in the exhibition this year. Most of them came from China, but several western companies or their local subsidiaries also presented their products and services. The floor was crowded with exhibitors and it is clear that wind energy in China is booming. Several local manufacturers have entered the market, either working under licences or developing their own technology. The major international manufacturers are also increasing the capacity of their Chinese facilities in order to meet the demand. At face value, the aggregate plans of all players in the market suggest that China will be supplying close to 12GW of mainly 1-2MW wind turbine generators within the next 4 years. Probably not all Chinese manufacturers will survive, but it won't surprise me if some of them become international players or are in the market to purchase western companies, as is happening in other sectors nowadays. China is certainly a country to take into account.

The wind industry, to date, has largely studied wind patterns and turbine performance using traditional fixed masts; these raise issues such as the need for site permitting, working at height, and increased uncertainty in data due to complex sites and inadequate mast heights. The highest mast currently available on the market reaches 80 metres. The hub height of turbines is becoming greater and greater, but for now wind data from altitudes higher than the masts can reach generally has to be estimated. Remote sensing methods, such as sodar and laser anemometry (lidar), offer a means of obtaining accurate wind profiles for wind resource assessment at greater heights.

The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) has recently launched a new campaign, 'Seize the Opportunity', which emphasises the benefits that wind power could bring for both energy supply and the environment. The campaign focuses on the opportunities for Europe in responding to the current energy and climate challenges by developing, deploying and exporting wind power technology to the rest of the world.