History of Europe’s wind industry

1991

EWEA publishes action plan for European wind energy development

EWEA publishes action plan for European wind energy development, showing potential for Installed capacity of: 

BY 2000

BY 2010

BY 2005

BY 2030

1995

Europe’s wind capacity overtakes that of the US

Europe’s wind capacity overtakes that of the US

1997

1997: EWEA’s new target

EWEA’s new target for installed capacity in Europe:

BY 2000

BY 2010

 

BY 2030

1998

World wind capacity moves past 10,000 MW

World wind capacity moves past 10,000 MW

2003

2003: EWEA’s new targets

EWEA’s new targets for installed capacity in Europe:

BY 2010

 

BY 2020

2006

US wind power capacity leaps above 10 GW

US wind power capacity leaps above 10 GW

2006: EWEA’s new target for installed

EWEA’s new target for installed capacity in Europe:

BY 2030

 

2007

Wind overtakes fuel oil

Wind overtakes fuel oil as the 5th largest form of power generation capacity

2009

Wind power provides 2% of worldwide electricity

Wind power provides 2% of worldwide electricity

Europe accounts for 48%

Europe accounts for 48% of the world’s wind energy capacity

2010

Denmark’s wind power share of electricity reaches over 20%

Denmark’s wind power share of electricity reaches over 20%

2011

2011: EWEA’s new targets

EWEA’s new targets for installed capacity in Europe

BY 2020

 

BY 2030

2012

EU reaches 100 GW wind power milestone

EU reaches 100 GW wind power milestone

2013

Wind overtakes nuclear

Wind overtakes nuclear as the 4th largest form of power generation capacity

2014

Wind energy industry installs more new capacity than gas and coal combined

Wind energy industry installs more new capacity than gas and coal combined

2015

2015: EWEA’s new target

EWEA’s new targets for installed capacity in Europe:

BY 2020 LOW

BY 2020 CENTRAL

BY 2020 HIGH

BY 2030 LOW

BY 2030 CENTRAL

BY 2030 HIGH

2016

February: wake up call for policymakers

February: wake up call for policymakers as China overtakes EU on cumulative wind installations