With
41,000MW of wind power generation added in 2011, the global total reached
238,000MW by Dec. 31, 2011, according to the Global
Wind Energy Council (GWEC). That’s an increase of 21%, while the annual
global market increased in size by just 6%.
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As shown
in the graphic above, China led the world in new installations with an
end-of-2011 capacity of 62,000MW. But, according to the GWEC, “Today, about 75
countries worldwide have commercial wind power installations, with 22 of them
already passing the 1 GW level.”
The
United States reached an installed capacity of just over 6,800MW last year. That’s
a 31% increase from 2010. According to Denise Bode, CEO of the American Wind
Energy Association (AWEA), “Our 2011 installations alone provide enough
electricity to power almost two million American homes.”
With the
more than 6,800MW of newly installed capacity during last year in 30 U.S.
states, the total nameplate wind generation in the United States reached 46,919MW
by the end of 2011, according
to AWEA.
Above: Slide from the AWEA’s
year-end 2011 wind power report.
Incidentally,
3,444MW, or roughly half of the year’s completed installations, happened during
the fourth quarter of last year—more than the other three quarters combined.
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