The International Energy Agency (IEA Wind) has today issued the IEA Wind 2013 Annual Report. The report, which is drafted by IEA Wind member countries, presents information on generation capacity, progress towards national objectives, benefits to national economies, issues affecting growth, costs of projects and turbines, national incentive programmes and R&D results.
The latest findings predict that world wind capacity now generates enough electricity to meet about 4% of the world’s electricity demand. Most of this wind capacity (85%) resides in the member countries of the International Energy Agency Co-operative Agreement on Wind Energy.
In 2013, every IEA Wind member country added wind capacity, and five countries installed more than 1 GW: China (16.09 GW), Germany (3.36 GW), the United Kingdom (2.42 GW), Canada (1.60 GW), and the United States (1.09 GW).
Nine countries increased capacity by more than 20%: Finland (67%), México (35%), United Kingdom (29%), Canada (26%), Australia (25%), Sweden (24%), Austria (22%), Switzerland (22%), and China (21%). The Executive Summary synthesises the information for 2013 and includes data on capacity and generation in member countries since 1995.
Patricia Weis-Taylor, Secretary, IEA Wind, said: “By sharing information and working co-operatively on research tasks, IEA Wind member countries greatly multiply the efforts of individual countries to advance wind energy development. Member countries located in Europe, North America, Asia, and the Pacific Region are reaching out to other countries to expand the benefits of this international co-operation.”
ORE Catapult has a seat on the Executive Committee and acts as the contact point for UK organisations wishing to engage in IEA Wind research activities. For further information please contact Ignacio Marti, Innovation and Research Director, ignacio.marti@oreold.catapult.org.uk
The report is available for free download here
Notes to editors
IEA Wind
The IEA Wind is focused on advancing wind energy development, and has 20 member countries whose aim is to foster research, development, and deployment of wind energy systems and undertake cooperative R&D projects.
The ORE Catapult together with partners was responsible for drafting the United Kingdom country report.
IEA Wind 2013 Annual Report (2014) Implementing Agreement for Co-operation in the Research, Development, and Deployment of Wind Energy Systems, PWT Communications, LLC: Boulder, CO, 188 pages, ISBN 0-9786383-9-5, [www.ieawind.org]