Wind

Global market share in wind turbine manufacturers unveiled

The UK met less than half of its 13,849-MW wind generation target in 2008, as power companies spend less on renewables, Ecotricity said.

Emerging Energy Research unveiled their annual Wind Turbine Market Share Update on February 27, illustrating the total global installation of wind energy turbines in 2008, in addition to the new global rankings with market share of wind turbine energy companies.

A total of 29,724 megawatts (MW) of wind turbines were installed around the world in 2008. Established wind energy companies averaged an increase of more than 50% in installations in 2008, with smaller players seeing installations jump by 100% or more. The market was still dominated by the top 6 players being Vestas, GE, Gamesa, Enercon, Suzlon, and Siemens, who accounted for 70% of 2008 installations.

The global top 10 of wind turbine manufacturers retained their rankings for the most part, with only two companies, China’s Sinovel and Germany’s Nordex, switching positions as number 9 and 10 in the world. The market share for the top 10 are as follows: 1.Vestas 19%, 2. GE Energy 18%, 3. Gamesa 11%, 4. Enercon 9%, 5. Suzlon 7%, 6. Siemens 7%, 7. Acciona Windpower 4%, 8. Goldwind 4%, 9. Sinovel 5% and 10. Nordex 4%.

Other companies with significant market share were Dongfang 4%, REpower 3%, Mitsubishi 2%, and Clipper 2%.

Large orders made in 2007 were able to carry into record installations in 2008 with 11 more gigawatts (GW) or 11,000 MW more in 2008 than in 2007. Orders in 2007 made 2008 a record year despite the global economic downturn.

Turbine manufacturers said that they expect 2009 to be another year of growth, but not at the same levels of 2008. Multi-million and multi-billion dollar deals are still being made across the wind turbine energy industry this year.

China and US companies in particular are expected to raise production capacity throughout 2009, alongside European companies Vestas, Acciona, Gamesa, Siemens and India’s Suzlon. Expansion moves are planned for an increase in orders for 2010.

Emerging Energy Research is a leading advisory firm for the clean and renewable energy markets around the world. It is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Barcelona, Spain, working with over 1000 stakeholders across the renewable energy industry. The company provides research-based advice, support, and analysis to executives and key decision makers in industries such as utilities, development, independent power production, technology, manufacturing, and investment.

- Mike R. Lopez

Sources:

¹ http://www.emerging-energy.com
² http://www.emerging-energy.com/news/PressRelease.aspx?id=34