New highs in global growth of wind energy capacity
S. Himmelstein | May 21, 2024
A record amount of new wind energy generation capacity was installed worldwide during 2023, according to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). Global wind energy generating capacity grew by 117 GW, posting a 50% increase from 2022. Cumulative global wind power capacity now totals 1,021 GW.
However, annual additions must reach at least 320 GW by the end of this decade to meet the goals outlined at last year’s COP28 climate conference, as well as the targets of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.
During 2023, onshore wind energy capacity expansion attained a record high of 106 GW while offshore capacity growth of 10.8 GW translates into a second-best one-year figure.
Source: GWEC
China remains the global leader in building wind power generation capacity, with 65% of new installations in 2023. The U.S., Brazil and Germany are in the next three spots, and with China accounted for 77% of new installed wind power last year.
The top five markets for wind power in 2023 were the same as the prior year: China, the U.S., Germany, India and Spain. Other areas of growth include Africa and the Middle East, which installed about 1 GW of new capacity last year, nearly three times the capacity that came online there in 2022. GWEC expects onshore wind power additions will grow nearly fivefold by 2028 compared to 2023 levels, thanks to new installations in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and South Africa.