Investment in new European wind farms in 2009 reached €13 billion, including €1.5 billion offshore. 10,163 MW of wind power capacity were installed across the European Union – a 23% increase compared to 2008 installations – made up of 9,581MW onshore (up 21% from last year) and 582 MW offshore (up 56% from last year).

2009 is the second year running that more wind power capacity has been installed than any other electricity-generating technology, and wind’s share of newly installed capacity increased from 35% in 2008 to 39% in 2009. It is also the second successive year that renewable energies have accounted for the majority of new investments. “It is a remarkable result in a difficult year” said Christian Kjaer, CEO of EWEA. “The figures, once again, confirm that wind power, together with other renewable energy technologies and a shift from coal to gas, are delivering massive European carbon reductions, while creating much needed economic activity and new jobs for Europe’s citizens.”

The countries with the biggest share of new capacity installed in 2009 were Spain (24% - 2459MW), followed by Germany (19% - 1917MW), Italy (11% - 1114MW), France (11% - 1088MW) and UK (10% - 1077MW).

Wind power’s total capacity in the European Union has now reached 74,767 MW, up from 64,719 MW by the end of 2008 with Germany remaining the EU country with the largest installed capacity, followed by Spain, Italy, France and the UK. Wind capacity installed by the end of 2009 will in a normal year produce 163 TWh of electricity, meeting 4.8% of total EU power demand.

Commenting on prospects for 2010 Christian Kjaer added “I am quite optimistic about the mediumterm outlook for wind power in Europe, but project finance is still tight and it is clear that more orders must be announced in the coming months for the sector to repeat the 10 gigawatt this year.”