Wind Energy

Wind Power

The role of Wind Power in the future energy generation

Wind power, along with solar energy, holds a critical position in efforts to reduce emissions in the electricity sector.

These two energy sources are anticipated to form the cornerstone of the future electricity grid, accounting for nearly 70% of global electricity production by 2050.

Therefore, it is essential to prioritize and accelerate their significant expansion during the current decade.

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Long-Term Trends

Wind generation has experienced significant growth
over the past two decades

In the year 2000, global wind generation amounted to 31 terawatt-hours (TWh), constituting only 0.2% of the total power generation share. However, by 2022, wind generation soared to a remarkable 2,160 TWh, resulting in a substantial market share increase to 7.6%.

Much like solar power generation, wind energy has seen a remarkable surge in recent years. Between 2000 and 2015, wind generation expanded at a relatively high annual growth rate of 24%. Nevertheless, the absolute increase remained modest, reaching 828 TWh and a 3.5% share of global generation in 2015.

Since then, there has been a significant increase in absolute growth, adding an additional 1,332 TWh in just seven years. While the rate of relative growth has slightly decreased, wind generation still achieved an annual growth rate of 15% during this period. In 2022, there was a slightly higher growth rate, with wind generation increasing by 17% (+312 TWh).

Notably, the market share of wind power has expanded across all G20 countries during this period. In countries like Germany and the UK, wind power now accounts for over 20% of total generation (22% and 25%, respectively), and it is even higher in smaller nations like Denmark (55%), Ireland, and Uruguay (both 33%).

Progress Towards Net Zero

To align with the IEA Net Zero Emissions scenario targeting a 1.5-degree Celsius pathway for the power sector, wind generation must rise to 7,840 terawatt-hours (TWh) by 2030.

Achieving this goal necessitates an annual growth rate of 17% from 2021 to 2030, ultimately constituting 21% of the global generation. While wind generation met this growth rate in 2022, the average yearly growth from 2015 to 2022 was slightly lower at 15%.