According to the latest Global Wind Report from the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), 2023 marked a milestone year for the wind energy sector, with a significant increase in new wind power installation worldwide. The report reveals that a total of 116 gigawatts of new wind power capacity was installed in 2023, representing a remarkable 50% surge compared to 2022, making it the most successful year on record for new wind projects.
China emerged as the global leader in both offshore and onshore wind installation, closely followed by the United States, Brazil, and Germany. Notably, Europe experienced a record year with the Netherlands contributing significantly to the continent's offshore wind capacity, totaling 3.8 gigawatts of new installations.
Despite the concentration of wind power growth in major countries, the report highlights notable progress in other regions, particularly in Africa and the Middle East, which collectively installed nearly 1 gigawatt of wind power capacity in 2023, nearly tripling the previous year's installations.
The report underscores the positive trajectory in combating climate change through renewable energy adoption. However, it warns that sustained annual growth is imperative to meet the ambitious goals set forth in the COP28 pledge, which aims to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030, requiring a minimum annual growth rate of 320 gigawatts.
GWEC CEO Ben Backwell expressed satisfaction with the industry's growth but emphasized the need for further action to unlock its full potential.
In a separate development, data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) revealed that seven countries have achieved the remarkable feat of generating 100% of their electricity from renewable sources. These countries include Albania, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Iceland, Nepal, Paraguay, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with Norway closely approaching this milestone with 98.38% of its energy sourced from renewable sources.
Moreover, an additional 40 countries, including 11 in Europe, have managed to derive at least half of their electricity from renewable sources in recent years. Although many of these nations currently rely heavily on hydropower or wind energy, experts anticipate a significant shift towards solar energy in the coming years, driven by advancements in technology and declining costs.
Solar energy dominated the expansion of renewable energy capacity in 2023, comprising 73% of all growth, followed by wind power at 24%. As a result, solar now accounts for 37% of the world's total renewable energy capacity.
A study conducted by the University of Exeter and University College London predicts a pivotal moment for solar energy, forecasting its ascent to become the world's primary energy source by 2050.
