China powers ahead with 62,000 MW of wind energy

China has consolidated its position as global market leader in wind power generation, with a cumulative capacity of more than 62,000 MW, accounting for over 2.6 per cent of the global installed wind power capacity of 238,000 MW as of end-2011.

Against this, India added over 3,000 MW of wind power in 2011, pushing its total capacity to just over 16,000 MW, annual market statistics published by Global Wind Energy Council showed.

India is likely to add 5,000 MW per year beginning 2015, the report quoted D V Giri, chairman of the Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association, as saying.

''2011 was not an easy year for the Chinese wind industry. However, in the end, the industry has come out quite well, not only surviving the year, but also becoming more resilient to the various challenges. In the coming year, the industry will adapt to the government's new requirements as well as those of the market. We expect the industry will grow stronger and more competitive in the next year'', commented Li Junfeng, secretary general of the Chinese Renewable Energy Industry Association (CREIA).

Overall, the wind energy industry installed just over 41,000 MW of new clean, reliable wind power in 2011, bringing the total installed capacity globally to more than 238,000 MW at the end of last year.

This represents an increase of 21 per cent while the annual market size expanded by more than 6 per cent, annual market statistics published by Global Wind Energy Council showed.