BTM Consult has released its 14th annual update on the status of the International Wind Power Industry. This shows that 2008 recorded the highest ever level of wind turbine installations.
With 28,190MW of new capacity installed, the growth rate was 42% compared with 2007, resulting in a cumulative worldwide total of 122,000MW. The report's five year forecast up to 2013 projects significant growth. In the forecast up to 2013 an average annual growth rate of 15.7 % per year is expected. More than 200GW of new wind power capacity could come on line before the end of 2013. The annual installation of wind power capacity will grow from today's 28,190MW to around 58,500MW per year in 2013. Cumulative capacity by the end of 2013 will reach around 343GW. The report's forecast indicates that the penetration of wind power into the global electricity system has already reached a contribution of 1.3%. It is expected to reach 3.35 % by 2013 and 8 % by 2018.