Around the world, wind is one of the most popular types of renewable energy. Wind-based electricity is only increasing in usage as countries and governments at the local, state, and federal levels strive to meet carbon targets. Some countries have already emerged as leaders in the area of wind energy production with a high volume of installed wind capacity and plans to install even more wind power in the future. Kurz Wind has more details on the top countries for wind energy capacity around the world.
1. China
To date, the country with the greatest volume of installed wind energy capacity is China. As of 2020, the Chinese Wind Energy Association (CWEA) had a total installed wind capacity of 221 gigawatts (GW). The country installed more than 23 GW of wind power in 2019 alone. China also installed more wind turbines and farms during 2020 than any other country. By the end of the year, it posted a 36% increase in wind power installations, which is a record worldwide for installations in a single year. China single-handedly contributed a significant amount towards the global wind installation total of 82.3 GW in 2020.
2. United States
The US is second behind China in wind energy production. In total, the US has 96.4 GW of wind power installed and operational to date. The country also contains six of the world’s largest wind farms. One of the biggest wind farms in the country is the Alta Wind Energy Center in California. This gigantic wind farm alone produces over 1.5 mega watts (MW) of electric power. It is the second largest onshore wind farm in the US. Wind power production also varies by state. With its flat plains and high average wind speeds, Texas is a prime location for wind systems. Texas produces one quarter of the nation’s total wind power, which is a total of 24.9 GW. This power output gives Texas a wind power output of more than 25 states in the country combined.
3. Germany
Germany has the third highest wind capacity in the world. The country has a total of 59.3 GW in installed wind power. It has more wind capacity than any other country in Europe as well. Although Germany has some large onshore wind farms, it is especially notable for its sizable offshore wind production facilities. The country is home to some of the largest offshore wind farms in the world, including the Gode Wind Farms. This project, which was installed in multiple phases, has a total combined wind power generation capacity of 582 MW. Another large-scale wind farm in Germany is Nordsee One, which is sited off the coast in the North Sea. Nordsee One powers 400,000 homes with a total capacity of 382 MW.
As the world strives to reach certain goals for carbon emissions and renewable energy benchmarks, some countries are emerging as leaders. To date, China, the US, and Germany are leading the way in wind power production. To learn more about global wind energy production and achievements, contact Kurz Wind today.
Categorised in: Latest Wind Power Industry News - Kurz Wind Division
This post was written by Matt Passannante
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