Wind power increases

Wind power increases

European wind turbines, for the first time, exceeded 1 billion kWh in electric power output in 1992.

Production within Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands alone reached 1.25 billion kWh.

Worldwide wind generation is believed to have reached 4.3 billion kWh in 1992. California, which due to poor winds was not expected to produce more than the 2.7 billion kWh recorded in 1991, still accounted for about 67% of total world production.

If current trends continue, European nations will install 1,100 MW of wind generating capacity by the end of 1993. During 1992 and 1993 as much as 500 MW of new capacity will be added, mostly in Denmark, Germany, England and the Netherlands.

At its current pace, the total scale of European wind development will rival the wind farms of California by 1995. Europeans, whether privately or through their electric utilities, are investing $300 million to $500 million per year in wind equipment and associated services, not including research and development.

[From Wind Energy Weekly/Pegasus.]

From GLW issue 85