That the WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition is one of the top 50 fastest-growing shows in North America was clearly visible in Chicago from 4 till 7 May. The event welcomed over 23,000 attendees, up from 13,000 in 2008, 1,300 in 2004 (which was also held in Chicago), and 1,000 in 2001. A total of 1,200 exhibitors showcased their products and services at the exhibition floor, which exceeded 290,000 square feet (27,000 m2). It has been said before that the wind energy industry could be the mainstay for the recovery of the economy, and if you look at the size of the show you might think there is no recession at all. But many manufacturers and suppliers from other industries (which are hit by the recession) attended the show to see if they could fill in their overcapacity caused by the downturn they are currently facing. According to the exhibitors their number was quite high and this might distort the number of visitors.

Players in the wind energy business met in Marseille, France, from 16 till 19 March at the European Wind Energy Conference (EWEC). In total at EWEC 2009 there were over 7,500 participants, made up of 1,900 delegates and 5,600 exhibition visitors. The exhibition covered 10,000m2 and featured 390 companies, making it three times bigger than the exhibition at EWEC 2008 in Brussels.

Wind energy has continued its worldwide success story as the most dynamically growing energy source again in the year 2008. The USA passed Germany to become world number one in wind power installations, and China's total capacity doubled for the fourth year in a row. Total worldwide installations in 2008 were more than 27,000MW, dominated by the three main markets in Europe, North America and Asia. Global wind energy capacity grew by almost 29% last year, even higher than the average over the past decade, to reach total global installations of close to 121GW at the end of 2008. In 2008, more wind power was installed in the European Union than any other electricity generating technology. Statistics released by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) show that 43% of all new electricity generating capacity built in the EU last year was wind energy, exceeding all other technologies including gas, coal and nuclear power. The turnover in 2008 of the global wind industry reached € 40 billion.

The global economic turmoil has started having an impact on the wind energy industry in the world. Some companies are cutting down forecasts and production for 2009 and the market is showing the first signs of slowdown, but certainly not in a dramatic way. This situation is not necessarily a bad sign for our industry. It might even bring opportunities. We can be fairly certain that the wind energy industry won't collapse or face problems like those the automotive industry currently has.

Currently the world seems to be in turmoil because of the economic crisis. Financial institutions all over the world are getting governmental support to avoid bankruptcy and a collapse of the world financial system. Will this situation affect our industry as well, or will the renewables sector provide the solution to overcome the crisis?

This year HUSUM WindEnergy, with its accompanying trade symposia, took place from 9 to 13 September. This was the first edition where Husum Messe and Hamburg Messe joined forces after competing for several years with separate shows. More than 700 exhibitors from about 35 countries, among them all major global turbine manufacturers as well as suppliers and providers from all industry sectors, presented themselves at the exhibition. The event attracted almost 30,000 attendees from 40 nations. Despite the lack of good infrastructure (insufficient hotels, exhibition buildings instead of tents, etc.) Husum WindEnergy is one of the most important shows for the industry. On page 38 we publish a review of the event but if you want to find out for yourselves what is going on in the industry I suggest you attend the next show in 2010.