Denmark: European Wind Energy Market Grows Despite Ongoing Financial Crisis

Despite the ongoing financial crisis, emerging wind energy markets in Europe are expected to significantly increase installed wind power capacity by 2020, a panel session at the EWEA 2012 Annual Event in Copenhagen heard on Thursday.

Peter Brun, of Vestas, told people attending the session — Emerging European Markets: Resilient In The Crisis? — that Eastern European wind power markets are expected to make up more than 30% of annual onshore additions in Europe within 12 years time.

Brun said emerging markets in Poland, Romania and Turkey are being driven by energy security concerns and rising power demands along with relatively fair support schemes.

Arkadiusz Sekscinski, Deputy Director of the Polish Wind Energy Association, said Poland wants to have at least 5 GW of wind energy capacity by 2020.

According to a recent EWEA report — Wind In Power: 2011 Statistics — the Polish wind industry installed 436 MW in 2011, bringing its total installed capacity to 1,616 MW.

Another recent report, by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), said Poland is set to continue its healthy wind power development with an average annual growth of 500 MW.

Dana Duica, Executive Director of the Romanian Wind Energy Association, said as of last month 1,140 MW of wind energy had been installed in Romania. Duica said estimates suggest the nation will have 2,800 MW installed by the end of 2013.

Duica said there are a number of significant challenges to developing the sector in Romania, including the need for an improved grid and a stable legal framework.

EWEA’s statistics indicate Romania installed 520 MW of wind energy last year, bringing its total installed capacity to 982 MW.

In its Annual Market Update 2011, GWEC said Romania was the leader among Europe’s emerging markets last year, installing 520 MW. “The country has a significant development pipeline and will soon be the 16th European country to pass the 1 GW mark,” the report said.

Yuksel Malkoc, Vice President of the Turkey Wind Energy Association, said the nation has the wind potential of 48,000 MW, 37,836 MW of which could be onshore wind capacity.

Malkoc said Turkey, which is aiming for 10 GW of installed wind power by 2020, had about 1.7 GW installed by last year.

The EWEA statistics show that Turkey installed 470 MW in 2011.

The GWEC report said Turkey, with limited oil and gas reserves and an expanding population, is increasingly turning to wind power and other renewables to improve its energy security and curb dependence on imported fossil fuels.

GWEC also pointed out that the biggest obstacles to wind development in Turkey are the complex and bureaucratic administrative procedures.

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Offshore WIND staff, April 19, 2012; Image: ewea