In recent years, wind energy production has grown exponentially in Europe. Wind power, after gas and photovoltaics, is in third place among renewable sources: last year new power was installed equal to that entered into operation in 2010, when plants were built for 9.648 MW. However, the year of records was 2009, when the maximum new installed power of 10.500 MW was reached. The growth trend is confirmed: from 1995 to 2011 wind power recorded an average annual increase of 15,6%. All these data are contained in the "Wind in Power" report published by Ewea, the European wind energy industry association.
Last year, 9.616 MW of new wind power was installed in the European Union, which meant investments of around €12,6 billion. Of this power, 8.750 MW are onshore plants, while off-shore plants have been built for 866 MW, around 19% of the investments and 8,9% of the power. Germany takes first place for wind power in operation with 29.060 MW, followed by Spain with 21.674 MW, while France with a cumulative capacity of 6.800 MW surpasses Italy (6.747 MW).
The Ewea report then puts wind power in relation with other energy sources. 2011 was a record year both for the installation of new electrical power in general (45 Gw of new capacity, +3,9% compared to 2010), and for that from renewables (over 32 Gw). In more detail, the data indicate that wind energy remained the third source of new power coming on stream, with 21,4% of the total. But if in 2010 the primacy went to gas, the year that has just ended saw an astonishing result from photovoltaics, which with 21.000 Mw made up 46,7% of the new capacity.
