Chinese language wind turbine makers proceed to tempo the worldwide market, taking 4 of the highest 5 spots in a rating of the world’s high producers of each onshore and offshore wind energy tools.
Analysis from BloombergNEF (BNEF) revealed March 27 confirmed world wind energy era capability additions hit a document 118 GW in 2023. BNEF’s “2023 World Wind Turbine Market Shares” report stated builders commissioned 36% extra wind energy capability final yr than in 2022, primarily because of China, the world’s largest wind energy market.
The report stated 107 GW of onshore wind energy capability was added in 2023, with 11 GW added offshore.
Goldwind Commissions 16.4 GW of New Capability
Beijing-based Goldwind commissioned 16.4 GW of latest wind initiatives final yr, with 95% of these installations in China. Envision, headquartered in Shanghai, added 15.4 GW of capability.
Denmark’s Vestas ranked third, with 13.4 GW of latest capability, and was the one Europe-based producer within the high 5. Windey, one other Beijing producer, was fourth within the rankings, adopted by Mingyang, which is headquartered in Zhongshan.
“It’s no shock that Chinese language turbine makers dominate the highest 5 in our rating, as buildout of gigawatt-scale wind initiatives and an finish to pandemic restrictions despatched installations hovering final yr,” stated Cristian Dinca, wind analyst at BloombergNEF and lead writer of the report. Dinca famous that though Chinese language producers are exporting their expertise, “these gamers nonetheless rely closely on their house market, with 98% of all their capability additions coming in China itself.”
GE continues as the highest U.S.-based wind turbine maker, although it fell to sixth place within the BNEF rankings for 2023, after putting third in 2022. The BNEF report stated GE’s installations final yr fell 35% from prior-year ranges. The report additionally famous that U.S. additions of wind energy capability final yr totaled 7.2 GW, the bottom stage since 2017.
Mainland China accounted for two-thirds of world wind energy additions. The EU added 15.3 GW, a document for that group and 16% greater than the 13.2 GW put in in 2022. Brazil is the biggest Latin American market and added a document 5 GW of latest era final yr, twice what it added in 2022.
China’s Overseas Attain
The report stated Chinese language turbine makers final yr commissioned 1.7 GW of wind initiatives in 20 international markets, together with in 5 member states of the European Union. Chinese language corporations are increasing their presence partly on account of providing higher costs for generators in comparison with different nations. The flexibility to supply less-expensive tools is also a cause China continues to tempo the marketplace for solar energy tools.
The BNEF report stated costs for Chinese language-made wind generators delivered outdoors mainland China are 20% decrease than these of U.S. and European corporations.
“The growth in China final yr hides a worrying pattern, as new additions elsewhere have been simply 8% greater than in 2022,” stated Oliver Metcalfe, head of wind analysis at BNEF. “There are indicators that progress will speed up, although.” Metcalfe famous orders for brand new generators are growing within the U.S., in addition to in different nations.
“A surge in U.S. turbine orders reveals the early impression of the brand new subsidies within the nation’s Inflation Discount Act,” stated Metcalfe, “whereas a growth in mission approvals in nations like Germany means that Europe’s allowing reform is working.”
Mingyang doubled its installations of offshore wind turbine in 2023, commissioning 3 GW of latest capability and turning into the biggest world provider of offshore generators for the primary time. China stays the biggest marketplace for new offshore wind capability and, as with onshore, accounts for about two-thirds of latest worldwide era. The UK and the Netherlands, respectively, have been the second- and third-largest installers of offshore wind capability final yr.
—Darrell Proctor is a senior affiliate editor for POWER (@POWERmagazine).