By Martin Banks - 3rd February 2010
New figures reveal that more wind power capacity was installed in the EU last year than any other electricity-generating technology.
According to the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), the body that represents the wind power industry, 39 per cent of all new capacity installed in 2009 was wind power, followed by gas (26 per cent) and solar (16 per cent).
In addition, Europe decommissioned more coal and nuclear capacity than it installed in 2009, says the Brussels-based EWEA.
Renewable energy technologies account for 61 per cent of new power generating capacity in 2009, said the EWEA report.
Investment in new European wind farms in 2009 reached €13 billion, including €1.5 billion offshore.
The EWEA says 2009 is the second year running that more wind power capacity has been installed than any other electricity-generating technology.
The data was released at a EWEA news conference in Brussels on Wednesday.
"It is a remarkable result in a difficult year” said Christian Kjaer, said its CEO.
"The figures, once again, confirm that wind power, together with other renewable energy technologies and a shift from coal to gas, are delivering massive European carbon reductions, while creating much needed economic activity and new jobs for Europe's citizens.”
The countries with the biggest share of new capacity installed in 2009 were Spain (24 per cent) followed by Germany (19 per cent), Italy (11 per cent), France (11 per cent) and the UK (10 per cent).
Germany remains the EU country with the largest installed capacity, followed by Spain, Italy, France and the UK.
Kjaer added, "I am quite optimistic about the medium-term outlook for wind power in Europe, but project finance is still tight and it is clear that more orders must be announced in the coming months for the sector to repeat the 10 GW installed this year."
