On 9th February WindEurope has released the European annual wind statistics for 2016. Also Wind accounted for 51 % of all new power installed, there are still big differences between the Member States of the EU and there is a lot left to do for the Governments.
After connection 12.5 GW of new wind power to the grid last year (10,923 MW onshore and 1,567 MW offshore) the total wind capacity stands now at 153.7 GW. That means that 10.4 % of the electricity need last year has been covered by wind energy.
Investment in new onshore and offshore wind farms reached a record € 27.5 bn. Offshore wind investments rose 39 % year on year to € 18.2 bn, while onshore investments were down 29 % at € 9.3 bn.
The strongest country in terms of newly installed wind power has been Germany with 44 % of the total installation. Giles Dickson, CEO of WindEurope, comments: ”We saw strong expansion in Germany in 2016 but growth remains uneven geographically. Over half the Member States invested nothing in wind energy last year.”
In Dickson’s opinion Policy is key for the future development of the wind energy. Investors urge for clear and ambitious signals. “The Member States also need to start defining in their National Energy and Climate Plans how they will deliver the transition at national level. The Clean Energy Package is the blueprint for this. The Council and the European Parliament need to start working seriously on the Commission’s proposals.”
Philipp Kronsbein / WindEurope
Further Information
Wind in power: 2016 European statistics