According to findings published in the Spanish Wind Energy Association’s “Eólica 09" annual report, on 1 January 2009 wind power capacity in other countries installed and operated by Spanish companies amounted to almost 8,000 MW. Among the 17 countries in which Spanish companies operate, the greatest amount of installed capacity is in the United States with a total of 3,460 MW, followed by Portugal with 1,161 MW. This degree of internationalisation – which also applies to Spanish wind turbine and component manufacturers, engineering firms and service providers operating in around 30 countries – underlines the Spanish wind industry's leadership position.
Spain is a net exporter of equipment, services and technology associated with the industry and progress in Spain has attracted a noteworthy number of foreign investors. In fact, according to the latest data collated by the AEE, exports of the wind turbine manufacturing sub-sector in Spain alone reached €2,234 million in 2008. If exports of components and services are also considered, total wind-energy associated exports from Spain stood at €2,950 million at 2008 year end, up 15% on the €2,550 million achieved in 2007.
According to "Eólica 09", in addition to the 16,740 MW of wind power installed in Spain at 1 January 2009, a further 7,940 MW has been installed by Spanish developers in 17 countries around the globe. At 1 January, almost half of this capacity (3,460 MW) was installed in the US, although this amount has already been increased considerably during the first quarter of 2009 with the opening of a number of major wind farms such as Acciona’s 123 MW wind farm in Oklahoma; opened by the company in June and employing its own wind turbines. Iberdrola Renovables is also in the process of constructing a further 500 MW of wind farms, which will consolidate its position as the leading wind farm developer in the world with 9,300 MW installed, and the second largest operator in North America – currently the most important market in the world.
In his introduction to this year’s annual report, AEE President, José Donoso, stated that “the sector has continued to consolidate itself as a means for the Spanish economy to achieve success. We will not grow tired of repeating that it has been the best investment the Spanish economy has made in recent years. Since last year, this declaration can now be backed up by irrefutable data thanks to the completion of the “Macroeconomic Study on the Impact of the Spanish Wind Sector in Spain” report, which represents a before and after in terms of being able to evaluate returns on incentives received per kilowatt hour of wind energy.” Indeed, the first part of “Eólica 09” summarises and breaks down this study under a section entitled “Expensive wind power? The myth broken”.
Wind power key to meeting global energy needs
Donoso underlines that although the Spanish wind industry has so far been successful, it is “now practically at a new starting point from which it will face new challenges in all areas in what is an especially difficult environment caused by the international financial crisis.” Aside from the global recession – which he does not underestimate in the slightest – Donoso’s attention is particularly focused on “the structural crisis of the global energy model (environmental problems, fossil fuel price volatility, resource scarcity, etc.) which will become more pronounced once the financial markets return to normal.” He believes that this situation will “exacerbate the need to invest in renewables in general, especially wind power, which is the most efficient renewable energy technology”.
As in previous years, the AEE report presents statistics on installed capacity and electricity generation, data on wind power around the world, and analysis of legislative frameworks, advances in electricity grid integration, and future developments in offshore wind. “Today more than ever, we are aware that we will only be able to consolidate our leadership position worldwide if we make the greatest effort in R&D to enable us to become increasingly competitive, on the one hand, compared with other technologies and, on the other, in a market which is becoming more and more globalised”.
International growth
The annual report highlights that in just four years, wind power has almost doubled its contribution to covering Spain’s electricity demand, while capacity installed worldwide has increased by more than 60% from 47,620 MW in 2004 to 120,798 MW at 2008 year end. In other words, 73,178 MW has been installed during the last four years alone.
Of the 27,051 MW installed worldwide during 2008, 87.8% was in just 10 countries; above all the US. The 8,358 MW of new capacity installed in the US last year breaks all records and means that the US now has 22.8% of total capacity installed around the world. China is placed second with 6,300 MW, after doubling its capacity for the fourth consecutive year. In doing so, the Asian giant had a total of 12.2 GW at the end of 2008. Furthermore, China’s dominance in Asia is expected to increase in the near future because the Chinese authorities see wind power as key to economic growth. Consequently, it is forecast that installed capacity will double once more during 2009.
Spain continues to occupy second place in Europe and third place worldwide, with 16,740 MW installed at 2008 year end, which the AEE estimates could rise by a further 500 MW during the first quarter of 2009 to 17.200 MW.
The AEE report also includes data published by the European Wind Energy Association, which indicates that wind power has experienced the greatest growth among energy sources in the European Union, with installed capacity increasing by 8,484 MW during 2008. It has been followed by gas with 6,932 MW of new capacity.
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