Top 10 Leading Countries in Global Wind Power Generation

The installed wind power capacity of Italy reached 12.7GW in 2021. Italy's wind energy market is expected to achieve a CAGR of 5.6% during the forecast period, reaching a wind installed capacity of 15.21 GW by 2027. Italy's energy giant, Eni, has played a significant role in the oil and gas business for many years. Currently, they aim to build 60GW of renewable capacity by 2050, up from just 1GW installed capacity in 2020. The increasing adoption of alternative clean energy sources such as solar energy, hydroelectric power, etc., may hinder the growth of Italy's wind power market in the forecast period.

Italy's wind industry is concentrated mainly in the south and on its islands. For example, all of the onshore wind capacity of Italy's energy company, ERG, is based in southern Rome, with Puglia and Campania being its strongest markets. According to Italy's National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), Italy has set a target to contribute 30% to the EU's 2030 renewable energy target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Installed Capacity: 12.7GW

In France, wind energy is the third-largest electricity supplier with nearly 40 TWh generated in 2020, placing France among the most significant producers in Europe. Overall, the wind industry has experienced a similar surge as global renewable energy production, with continuous growth rates. In fact, France's wind energy production capacity has increased more than 5 times from 2008 to 2020, from 3,403 megawatts to over 17,000 megawatts.

There is a significant geographical disparity in wind power generation in France. Two regions that accounted for nearly half of the national output in 2021 are Hauts-de-France and Grand Est, connecting 5.2 GW and 4.1 GW respectively to France's power grid. There is a significant geographical disparity in wind power generation in France. Two regions accounted for nearly half of the national output in 2021. Hauts-de-France and Grand Est connected 5.2 GW and 4.1 GW respectively to France's power grid.

France primarily produces electricity through its leading nuclear power plant fleet in the world. In recent years, the country has moved towards enhancing its renewable fleet, after increasing its renewable budget to 71 billion euros for the 2019-2028 period. This will allow it to triple its onshore wind capacity by 2030. France aims to increase its wind generation capacity to at least 21.8GW by the end of 2023. As part of this effort, the French government has announced changes to planning laws, making wind construction easier.

Installed Capacity: 18.7GW

Although Canada has only begun to harness its vast wind energy potential, the country has quickly developed in this field and has become one of the world's largest wind power producers. By the end of 2021, its wind power generation capacity stood at approximately 14,304MW installed wind energy capacity. Wind power accounts for about 5% of Canada's renewable energy supply today. Thanks to its geographic location and terrain, Canada, with its many mountains and rivers, generates 67.5% of its energy from hydroelectric sources.

Wind energy in Canada constitutes 3.5% of electricity production, making it the second most important renewable energy source in the region. The leading provinces in Canada's wind power capacity are Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta. Canada's annual wind power additions peaked in 2014 and have significantly declined since then. Ontario has the largest wind energy capacity, with over 5GW installed. Conversely, many provinces in the country have very little or no wind generation. The largest wind farm in Canada is the Rivière-du-Moulin wind project in Quebec, with a total capacity of 300MW. The Canadian government is also heavily investing in new energy storage technologies to support clean energy.

Installed Capacity: 14.4GW

The United Kingdom is the third European country on the list, relying more on offshore wind than other nations. Six out of the top 10 highest-capacity offshore wind projects in the world are located in the UK's coastal waters, primarily in the North Sea. The Hornsea One wind farm is currently the world's largest wind farm, with a generating capacity of 1.2GW. The sister project Hornsea Two will add another 1.3GW generation to the area upon completion.

The United Kingdom is one of the best wind energy locations globally and is considered the best in Europe. As of early March 2022, the UK has 11,091 wind turbines with a total installed capacity of 24.6 gigawatts (GW): 14.1 GW onshore and 10.4 GW offshore, the sixth-largest capacity of any country by 2019. Wind energy contributed 24.8% of the UK's electricity supply in 2020, surpassing coal in 2016 and nuclear in 2018. In recent years, the UK government has promised to invest in developing the country's offshore wind industry.

Installed Capacity: 26GW

Brazil ranks seventh globally by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) with 19GW installed capacity. To get an idea of the growth, less than 1GW was installed domestically a decade ago, and it's now the second-largest power source in the country, accounting for 10% of the electricity. Brazil has the largest wind capacity in South America with over 19GW. The country generates a significant amount of hydroelectric power, with wind and biofuels vying for second place.

During dry spells, low reservoir levels, and the need to activate thermal power plants are necessary, further driving up energy prices. For this reason, experts argue that diversifying Brazil's energy sources is necessary as the country is abundant in natural resources and has significant energy potential.

The favorable wind quality in Brazil for wind power production stands out globally. Brazil has above-average capacity factors (wind yields), as you can see below. In 2020, Brazil added approximately 1.8GW of wind power, although solar energy grew faster during the same period. According to the Brazilian Wind Energy Association (ABE Eólica), Brazil is expected to have at least 30GW of installed wind energy capacity by 2024.

Installed Capacity: 19.1GW

The rapid economic development and population growth of India have enabled the country to expand its renewable capabilities. India aimed to install 175GW of renewable power by 2022, which now seems unattainable. At the time of writing, the country remains one of the last nations targeting net zero. Renewable energy development in India is significant, with wind energy proving to be the most effective solution for issues related to fossil fuel depletion, coal imports, greenhouse gas emissions, or environmental pollution, etc.

With a wind energy installed capacity of 39,248 MW (March 2021), Renewable energy sources (excluding large hydro) now account for 24.7% of India's total installed capacity of 382,151 MW. Wind energy accounts for 41.5% of the total RE capacity (94,434 MW) among the renewable energy types and continues to be the largest clean energy provider. The country boasts the third and fourth-largest onshore wind farms globally, the Muppanda wind farm in Tamil Nadu, South India (1,500MW), and the Jaisalmer wind park in Rajasthan, North India (1,064MW).

Installed Capacity: 42GW

Approximately 20% of Spain's electricity comes from wind energy, with a generating capacity of 23GW. The country ranks fifth globally in installed generation, despite its relatively small economy. Spain plays a significant role in global wind production, hosting some operations of the green giant Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy. The company has installed over 100GW of onshore and offshore wind turbines worldwide.

This supports thousands of jobs in the country's wind sector. According to the country's wind energy association, about 30,000 people work in Spain's wind sector. Manufacturers have over 220 sites across the country. With 27,446 MW of accumulated capacity, wind energy was the second-largest source of electricity in the Spanish peninsula in 2020.

Spain ranks as the world's fifth-largest country in installed wind power capacity after China, the US, Germany, and India. In 2021, installed wind power capacity in Spain surpassed 28 gigawatts, a 2% increase from the previous year. Over the past three years, Spain's wind power capacity has increased by 4.6 gigawatts, after a decade of stagnation.

Installed Capacity: 29GW

So far, the United States has developed 139GW of onshore wind capacity, although the country still heavily relies on fossil fuels. The world's largest onshore wind arsenal is located in the US. The second-largest wind farm in the world, the Alta Wind Energy Center in California, has a capacity of 1,548MW. Texas alone produces a quarter of the US wind energy with 24.9GW, supplying more wind energy than 25 other US states combined.

Recently, coastal nations have committed to developing large offshore wind projects, attracting significant investments. The federal government has also committed to offshore wind development, planning to generate 30GW along the Atlantic Coast. The annual electricity output from US wind energy has increased from about 6 billion kWh in 2000 to approximately 380 billion kWh in 2021. In 2021, wind turbines accounted for about 9.2% of the total utility-scale electricity generation in the United States. Utility-scale includes facilities with a minimum electricity generating capacity of one megawatt (1,000 kilowatts).

Installed Capacity: 139GW

Onshore wind energy is a primary pillar in Germany's transition to low-carbon electricity production and has become one of the country's most important power sources. In Europe, Germany has the highest installed wind power capacity, with over 60GW. Its largest offshore wind farms are the God Wind Farms (phases 1 & 2), with a total capacity of 582MW. Germany is also home to the Nordsee One Offshore wind farm, with a capacity of 382MW, supplying energy to 400,000 homes.

Germany has led in onshore wind power capacity installation in Europe for many years, proudly being the largest market in the region to date and the global leader in technology development. By the end of 2021, a total of 28,230 onshore turbines with a combined capacity of around 56 gigawatts (GW) were operational nationwide. With an expansion of approximately 5.3 GW, 2017 saw the strongest capacity growth to date. Germany's large wind energy infrastructure could pose an issue for its grid, as the country lacks sufficient electricity storage facilities to regulate intermittent power flows.

Despite challenges in turbine construction, overall onshore wind power output has remained steadily growing in recent years but saw a setback in 2021 due to unfavorable weather conditions and stalled capacity expansion. Throughout 2021, Germany's onshore wind energy supplied approximately 92 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity to the grid and contributed less than 16% to electricity generation, making it the most important renewable energy source.

Installed Capacity: 64GW

China leads the world in wind energy, with over a quarter of the world's wind power capacity. The country hosts the world's largest onshore wind farm in Gansu province, built in the Gobi Desert. Its 10GW maximum capacity far exceeds its nearest competitor at the time of writing, although announced projects are set to rival it soon.

China installed more new wind power capacity last year than the rest of the world combined, leading to a record-breaking year for installations despite the pandemic. A study revealed that China led the world's largest increase in wind power capacity ever recorded as developers commissioned nearly 100GW worth of turbines last year - enough to power nearly three times the number of homes in the UK and up nearly 60% from previous years.

The number of installations shattered records by more than three-quarters compared to 2019 and far surpassed the country's previous installation record in 2012. However, wind farms are located in some of the poorest regions of the country. A lack of demand and transmission infrastructure for areas that require more stringent measures, with descriptions of turbines looking 'like white elephants, not operating and idle'. China still generates most of its energy from coal, but is likely to invest more in renewable energy as the energy transition unfolds.

Installed Capacity: 342GW