The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) has released its annual Global Wind Report for 2024 which highlights that a record 117 gigawatts (GW) in new wind energy was installed in 2023, representing a 50% year-on-year increase from 2022. This new record makes 2023 the best year for new wind energy installations to date.
GWEC says the record was achieved despite global challenges including a tough macroeconomic environment, global inflationary pressures, rising cost of capital and fragility in the supply chain.
“Given the urgency of the action needed, we do not have time to retreat and wait for these problems to go away,” said Jonathan Cole, CEO of Corio Generation and current Chair of GWEC. “We need decisive action by our political and industrial leaders to address the big challenges before us.”
“This means countries taking steps to de risk and accelerate deployment of renewables by prioritising early investment in the grid and transmission infrastructure and moving swiftly to streamline permitting processes,” Cole added.
GWEC forecasts on the next terawatt
Of the new wind energy capacity deployed, onshore wind accounted for 106 GW, whilst offshore wind accounted for 10.8 GW – which is its second best installation record to date.
Additionally, cumulative wind power capacity passed 1 (terawatt)TW for the first time last year, and GWEC expects the industry to deploy the next terawatt in less time. The wind energy body forecasts that at least 2TW in new wind energy installations will be achieved by 2030.
“We need to accelerate wind energy installations from a level of 117 GW in 2023 to at least 320 GW of annual installations by 2030,” said GWEC’s Chief Executive Ben Backwell. “This tripling of annual wind installations would bring us to around 3 TW of cumulative wind energy capacity by the end of the decade.”
“It took us over 40 years to reach the 1 TW mark of worldwide installed wind power. We now have just 7 years to install the next 2 TW. While this is possible, it will require an unprecedented level of focus, determination, collaboration and ingenuity to reach the goal,” Backwell added.
China retains lead on new installations
GWEC reports that China and the US remained the world’s two largest markets for onshore wind additions in 2023, followed by Brazil, Germany and India. China accounted for more than half of all global wind energy installations with a record 69 GW in new installations.
The top five markets made up 82% of global new installations in 2023, collectively 9% higher than the previous year.
GWEC’s report shows that additions in Europe, Africa and the Middle East did not surpass last year’s record. However, both two regions still experienced their second-best years in terms of new onshore wind installations.
An estimated 10.8 GW of new offshore wind was commissioned in 2023, bringing total global offshore wind capacity to 75.2 GW. GWEC reports that offshore wind additions were 24% higher than in 2022.