Cambridge, Massachusetts, 8 April 2008

After trailing by a small margin at year-end 2006, Spanish utility Iberdrola vaulted ahead of FPL Energy to claim global leadership in wind power plant ownership in 2007 with over 6.9 GW under net ownership, according to Emerging Energy Research, a leading research and advisory firm. EER's recently released global wind power rankings show that Iberdrola added over 1.55 GW of new wind construction in 2007 -- primarily driven by large-scale activations in Spain and the US -- and over 1.45 GW through the acquisition of ScottishPower's operating wind assets in the US, the UK, and Ireland.

Surpassing 5 GW of cumulative wind ownership in 2007, FPL Energy continued to outpace its competitors in North America and took second place in EER's global rankings. The Florida-based utility and IPP led the North American field in new wind build for the third straight year, adding 956 MW of new wind capacity, in addition to consolidating its equity position in 108 MW of operating wind capacity in California. Competition for third place remains fierce, with Acciona and EDP nearly tied at approximately 2.8 GW apiece before Acciona's stake in Spanish utility Endesa is considered.

"With viable wind M&A targets dwindling, remaining at the head of the global wind rankings requires adding at least 500 MW of new wind build per year," according to EER Research Director Joshua Magee. The top 20 global wind plant owners ended 2007 owning over 32.8 GW of net wind capacity combined, or approximately 35% of the total global installed wind plant, according to EER.

Rankings Impacted by Regional Growth and Industry Consolidation

Shifting growth globally -- a boom in new wind construction in the US, M&A activity in the more mature wind markets of Europe, and China's explosive growth in Asia wind -- has led to significant diversification in EER's global wind power ownership rankings.

Competition among US wind IPPs is at an all-time high, with four of the top developers -- FPL Energy, Iberdrola, Horizon/EDP, and Babcock & Brown -- adding more than 500 MW in new installed wind capacity in 2007. AES, Edison, Invenergy, and utility MidAmerica have secured top positions in EER's 2007 rankings.

"In the US market, major IPPs were able to activate large portions of their portfolios in 2007, leading to significant construction activity," says Magee. An additional year of US federal Production Tax Credit (PTC) security will continue to drive the region toward record growth in 2008, according to EER's Magee. Further shifts in ownership rankings are expected in 2008.

In Europe, M&A activity contributed to several companies' wind MW added in 2007, with strategies ranging from one-off project purchases to IPP acquisitions. Mergers and acquisitions accounted for approximately one-third of total wind ownership growth among Europe's top 20 wind owners in 2007.

"A combination of new wind build and growing M&A activity continues to keep European wind ownership in flux, with market veterans such as EDF Energies Nouvelles building on their historical positions, while companies such as E.ON and International Power gain through acquisitions," says Magee. Iberdrola will likely continue to lead the European wind power market in 2008, with sustained growth in markets such as Spain, France, Italy, Poland, and the UK.

Chinese power generation giant DaTang has joined LongYuan in representing the recent explosive Chinese wind market growth in EER's global rankings. "Chinese state-owned companies are well-positioned in the country's rapidly growing wind power sector due to the importance of government-sponsored wind concession projects," says Magee. Of the next-tier Chinese power players, HuaDian and GuoHua are the most likely to secure positions in EER's global rankings by year-end 2008.

ABOUT EER'S WIND PLANT OWNERSHIP RANKINGS

EER tracks wind plant ownership as part of the Global Wind Energy Advisory Service. Data is aggregated based on individual wind farm information. EER tracks over 70 leading wind power owners by project within the global wind market, and establishes its top 20 global rankings cut-off annually based on a comparison of these portfolios. EER takes into account rankings based on new build, new capacity, acquisitions, and divestments. For more information please contact Stephanie Aldock at 617-551-8483 or eermedia@emerging-energy.com

ABOUT EMERGING ENERGY RESEARCH

Emerging Energy Research is a leading advisory and consulting firm analyzing clean and renewable energy markets on a global basis. EER is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Barcelona, Spain. Our clients - which include many of the world's largest energy companies, utilities, technology vendors, and financial institutions - seek our informed, objective view and advice on these fast developing markets. For more information visit www.emerging-energy.com