The World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) has released the first Small Wind World Report. For the first time, data about the status of small wind turbines all over the world has been gathered and published.
The total number of small wind turbines installed all over the world reached 656,000 units as of the end of 2010, after 521,000 in 2009 and 460,000 in 2008. These small wind turbines represent a total capacity of around 440MW (end of 2010), compared with a total capacity of 240GW of large wind turbines. The largest share of the small wind turbines can be found in two countries, China (450,000 units/166MW) and the USA (144,000 units/179MW), followed by the medium sized markets with 2-22,000 installed units and 5-50MW total capacity: UK, Canada, Germany, Spain, Poland, Japan and Italy. In 2020, WWEA expects that the total installed small wind capacity will reach 3,800MW, representing an almost tenfold increase compared with 2010. The market for new small wind turbines will have a volume of around 750MW in the year 2020. More than 330 manufacturers of small wind turbines have been identified in 40 countries on all continents, and another estimated 300 companies are manufacturing equipment for the small wind industry. Most of the manufacturers are still small and medium sized companies. More than half of these manufacturers can be found in only five countries, namely in China and the USA, as well as in Germany, Canada and the UK.
The total number of small wind turbines installed all over the world reached 656,000 units as of the end of 2010, after 521,000 in 2009 and 460,000 in 2008. These small wind turbines represent a total capacity of around 440MW (end of 2010), compared with a total capacity of 240GW of large wind turbines. The largest share of the small wind turbines can be found in two countries, China (450,000 units/166MW) and the USA (144,000 units/179MW), followed by the medium sized markets with 2-22,000 installed units and 5-50MW total capacity: UK, Canada, Germany, Spain, Poland, Japan and Italy. In 2020, WWEA expects that the total installed small wind capacity will reach 3,800MW, representing an almost tenfold increase compared with 2010. The market for new small wind turbines will have a volume of around 750MW in the year 2020. More than 330 manufacturers of small wind turbines have been identified in 40 countries on all continents, and another estimated 300 companies are manufacturing equipment for the small wind industry. Most of the manufacturers are still small and medium sized companies. More than half of these manufacturers can be found in only five countries, namely in China and the USA, as well as in Germany, Canada and the UK.
