Wind Power Outpaces Nuclear, China Outpaces Itself

onJun 23, 2008 @ 14:38 PDT

A new report issued by the Worldwatch Institute finds that new wind power installations outpaced new nuclear power plant construction by 10-to-1. Globally, the wind industry added 20,000 MW of new capacity last year, while the nuclear industry added less than 2,000 MW.

A big surprise for the author of the report was the massive upswing in wind installations in China:

“The biggest surprise is China, which was barely in the wind business three years ago but which in 2007 trailed only the United States and Spain in wind installations and was fifth in total installed capacity. An estimated 3,449 megawatts of wind turbines were added in 2007, bringing China’s provisional total to 6,050 megawatts and already exceeding the government’s target for 2010.”

Other regions and countries experiencing significant growth include Canada (added 386 megawatts), New Zealand (151), Latin America, where Brazil added 161 megawatts and Chile installed about 18 megawatts, and northern Africa, where Egypt added 80 megawatts.

The global wind market was estimated to be worth about $36 billion in 2007, accounting for nearly half of all investments in new renewable power and heating capacity last year. As many as 200,000 people around the world are currently employed by the wind industry. These numbers will only rise in coming years.

By Emily Murgatroyd

uk/Nigel Farage Goes on Pro-Fossil Fuel Rant at Fundraiser for Climate Denial Group

BySam Bright and Adam Barnett

onSep 14, 2024 @ 03:44 PDT

Tickets at the event in Chicago cost up to $50,000 for the chance to have dinner with the Reform UK leader.

us/Violations Discovered at Nation’s First Carbon Capture and Storage Project

BySharon Kelly

onSep 13, 2024 @ 12:29 PDT

Corrosion issues in a deep monitoring well were discovered in March, raising concerns that early issues could be a sign of major problems to come as CCS and monitoring wells age.