Wind generating capacity has increased by more than 150% in the EU25 since 2000, responsible for more than half of all new generating capacity, says the European Commission’s Eurostat, the statistical office of the European communities.
Conventional thermal stations continued to dominate the sector though, accounting for 58% of installed capacity in 2004 with nuclear at 19%, hydro 18%, and wind just under 5%.
Total capacity in the EU25 amounted to almost 704 GW in 2004, 6% more than in 2000.
By September 2005, 10 EU Member States – Denmark, Germany, Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom – had opened their electricity markets fully to competition. In most of the remaining countries, markets were open for business consumers.