The global wind industry achieved a new milestone in 2023, installing a record 117GW of new capacity, according to a report by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). This marks the best year for new wind energy installations to date, representing a 50% year-on-year increase from 2022.
The report highlights that 2023 was the best year on record for onshore wind capacity, surpassing 100GW in a single year for the first time with a total of 106GW, showing a Year-on-Year (YoY) growth of 54%. Additionally, 2023 was the second-best year in history for offshore wind installations, with 10.8GW of total installed capacity.
China led the global wind installations, setting a new record with 75GW of new installations commissioned, accounting for nearly 65% of the global total. The top five markets for new wind installations also include the US, Brazil, Germany, and India.
The report also highlights that global cumulative wind power capacity passed the first 1TW milestone in 2023, now totaling 1021GW following YoY growth of 13%.
In response to the strong growth in the wind industry, GWEC has revised its 2024-2030 growth forecast upwards by 10%, now forecasting 1210GW of new capacity. However, the report emphasizes that the wind industry must triple its annual growth from 117GW in 2023 to at least 320GW by 2030 to meet the COP28 and 1.5°C pathway targets.
Ben Backwell, CEO of GWEC, commented on the industry's growth, stating, “It's great to see wind industry growth picking up, and we are proud of reaching a new annual record. However, much more needs to be done to unlock growth by policymakers, industry, and other stakeholders to get on to the 3X pathway needed to reach Net Zero.”
Backwell emphasized the need for policymakers to address growth challenges such as planning bottlenecks, grid queues, and poorly designed auctions, highlighting the importance of enhanced global collaboration to accelerate wind and renewable energy growth in line with a 1.5°C pathway.
