New Onshore Wind Installations Decline 14% in Europe as Offshore Surges

[phantom power]

New onshore wind installations dropped by 14 percent in the European Union in 2010 from a year earlier while windmills at sea surged more than a half, the European Wind Energy Association said today.

Offshore wind power installations rose 51 percent to 883 megawatts in 2010 as new land-based turbines declined to 8.4 gigawatts from 9.7 gigawatts the previous year. The EWEA said 9.3 gigawatts of overall wind power generating capacity was installed in 2010 to bring total capacity in the EU to 84 gigawatts.

Spending on new wind power plants across the 27 EU nations was unchanged at 13 billion euros ($18 billion) last year, EWEA said in an e-mailed statement. Europe’s Energy Commission today said the bloc’s capital investment in wind, solar and biofuels needs to double to 70 billion euros a year to ensure it meets its goal to derive 20 percent of energy from renewables in 2020.

“These figures are a warning that we cannot take for granted the continued financing of renewable energy,” EWEA Chief Executive Officer Christian Kjaer said in the statement. “Better access to financing is urgently needed, and the European Union must act without delay to prevent Europe losing its leadership in wind power and other renewable technologies.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-31/new-onshore-wind-installations-decline-14-in-europe-as-offshore-surges.html