Total worldwide wind power capacity increased 29 per cent last year, according to research group Worldwatch Institute.  In terms of individual nations, the United States was the country most actively exploiting wind power technology.

The 29 per cent growth represented an actual numeric increase of more than 27,000 MW (megawatts) – sufficient for the electrical needs of about 27 million domestic residences!

The effect of this surge in wind power use meant, the institute said, that it was now meeting 1.5 per cent of overall worldwide energy needs, 15 times its 1997 contribution.

The US witnessed a 50 per cent increase in wind capacity, taking it to 25,170 megawatts.

Wind Power Use

Across Europe, meanwhile, wind power use exceeded those of other renewable energy sources like hydro and solar power:  almost 9,000 new wind power installations were set up
in 2008.

Europe’s overall wind power capacity, then, was over 65,000 megawatts – over half of the world’s total.   While Germany was the individual European country with the highest capacity, it also saw a slow-down in new wind power facilities being built last year. 

Of Asian nations, China’s addition of a good 6,300 megawatts to its wind power reserve brought its total up to more than 12,200 megawatts – enough to see it placed second in terms of newly-introduced capacity. 

Previously, China had sought to have 10,000 megawatts in place by 2010 – an ambition that has now been substantially beaten.  According to an official speaking last month, China is now seeking a 100,000 megawatt capacity over the next 11 years.  Addressing media representatives, the National Energy Administration’s Fang Junshi added that China would add approximately 20 per cent more wind power capacity each year – a rate of acceleration that would take it beyond nuclear energy in terms of its deployment.

Over in India, 1,800 megawatts in new wind power capacity was added in 2008.  This took the country’s overall capacity to 9.645 megawatts, and ranked it world number five. 

Wind energy production is considered beneficial to the environment since the process does not rely on fuel, and does not directly result in the production of air pollutants.