Wind Power Market Rose to 41 Gigawatts in 2011, Led by China [View all]

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http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-02-07/wind-power-market-rose-to-41-gigawatts-in-2011-led-by-china.html

The global wind power market rose 6 percent to 41 gigawatts last year, led by China, which captured more than two-fifths of the total, the Global Wind Energy Council said today in a report.

China installed 18 gigawatts of turbines in 2011, followed by the U.S. with 6.8 gigawatts and India’s 3 gigawatts. Germany, the U.K., Canada and Spain followed, according to the Brussels- based industry lobby group.

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“Despite the state of the global economy, wind power continues to be the renewable generation technology of choice,” GWEC Secretary-General Steve Sawyer said in an e-mailed statement. “2011 was a tough year, as will be 2012, but the long-term fundamentals of the industry remain very sound.”

Wind power capacity now totals 238 gigawatts worldwide. The 6.8 gigawatts installed in the U.S. last year could power almost 2 million American homes, and the industry is on its way to providing 20 percent of the nation’s electricity by 2030, according to the statement.

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