Wind power capacity added in Asia Pacific excluding China (APeC) in 2016 amounted to 4.8GW. Annual capacity is expected to increase by more than 30% in 2017 YoY due primarily to market dynamics in India and Australia according to the Asia Pacific (excl. China) Wind Power Outlook 2017 from Make. More than 72GW of new capacity will be added in APeC over the next 10 years making it one of the largest sub-regions in the world to reach 111GW of total cumulative capacity.
Developers in India rushed to complete projects before the Accelerated Depreciation scheme was reduced in value and expiration of the Generation Based Incentive at the end of March. Following the results of the first national wind power auction, India will shift to an auction instead of reliance on state feed-in tariffs. Wind auctions at the national level as well as by individual states should support around 3-5GW of annual growth sustained across the next decade.
The Australian market is experiencing a resurgence in wind power development activity as developers rush to take advantage of high prices for renewable energy certificates. However, there remains no national renewable energy target post-2020 and the government is currently reviewing policy recommendations for a potential replacement. This has not stopped state governments from seeking to fulfil ambitious local renewable energy targets, which will continue to drive demand in the short- to medium-term. A national long-term solution is required if Australia is to fulfil its full potential.
Growth in Japan is expected as more than 10GW of planned projects are slowly passing the lengthy Environmental Impact Assessment period, which can take up to five years to complete. Electricity market reforms and a reassessment of existing policies to accelerate growth are currently under consideration by the central government. Combined with growth in offshore wind development, long-term growth prospects in Japan are positive.
Emerging markets in Southeast Asia are taking advantage of developments in low wind speed technology to support onshore growth. Offshore wind power growth in South Korea and Taiwan, with a combined national offshore target of more than 5GW within the next 10 years, will also contribute to new capacity added in the region. Efforts are underway to develop the local supply chain and infrastructure to support growth in these markets, and government planners are increasingly viewing wind power as a key source of energy.
