Wind power installations in Germany rose 14% in the first half of this year, according to a new report.
Developers added 1,143 MW of total wind capacity – up from 1,004 a year earlier. However, only 21 wind farms, with a capacity of 105 MW, in the first half of the year is believed to have been offshore.
The BWE group, a wind energy association, said it expects the nation’s wind power sector to expand at a faster rate in the second half of 2013.
It predicts around 2,900 MW of wind capacity could be installed by the end of this year – equivalent to three nuclear power plants – following the installation of 1,143 MW of capacity in the first six months and most of it being onshore.
Wind energy accounts for around 8% of Germany’s power consumption and the Government said it wants to increase it as part of its plans to move away from nuclear and invest in renewable energy.
Wind energy in Germany
- End 1997: 2,081 MW
- End 1998: 2,875 MW (+38.2 %)
- End 1999: 4,443 MW (+54.6 %)
- End 2000: 6,095 MW (+37.2 %)
- End 2001: 8,754 MW (+43.7 %)
- End 2002: 12,001 MW (+37.1 %)
- End 2003: 14,609 MW (+21.8 %)
- End 2004: 16,629 MW (+13.9 %)
- End 2005: 18,428 MW (+10.9 %)
- End 2006: 20,621 MW (+12 %)
- End 2007: 22,247 MW (+7.9 %)
- End 2008: 23,903 MW (+7.5 %)
- End 2009: 25,777 MW (+7.9 %)
- End 2010: 27,190 MW (+5.5 %)
- End 2011: 29,060 MW (+6.9 %)
- End 2012: 31,307 MW (+7.8 %)