WORLDWIDE - Global wind-power generating capacity saw record growth in 2002, with a 28 per cent year-on-year increase.
The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) and the American Wind Energy Association said total capacity stood at 31 128 MWe at the end of 2002 after a record of 6 868 MWe of new capacity was installed during the year.
Capacity in EU countries came to 2 056 MWe, or 74 per cent of the total, reflecting the region’s aggressive clean-energy drive as part of its effort to deal with global warming.
North America followed at 4 923 MWe, with 3 150 MWe in the rest of the world, including 415 MWe in Japan.
On a country-by-country basis, Germany topped the list with generating capacity of 12 001 MWe, followed by Spain at 4 830 MWe, the USA at 4 685 MWe, Denmark at 2 880 MWe and India at 1 702 MWe.
Wind power currently accounts for just 0.4 per cent of total electricity supply worldwide, but the EWEA anticipates that the proportion may reach 12 per cent by 2020.