China and India on track for wind sector dominance

Report claims China could replace Germany as biggest generator of wind power as early as next year

BusinessGreen.com staff, BusinessGreen, 05 Nov 2008

The growing influence China and India wield over the global wind energy sector has been underlined after new research suggested both countries are fast closing the capacity gap on more established markets such as Germany and the US.

The study from the Global Wind Energy Council confirmed that at the end of 2007 Germany continued to hold the top spot with 22.3GW of installed capacity compared with 16.8GW in the US and 15.1GW in Spain.

However, India with 7.8GW and China with 5.9GW made up the top five and both reported rapid growth with India installing an extra 1.5GW of capacity and China taking the title of fastest-growing market, achieving 145 per cent growth over the course of the year.

The report, which was released late last week, predicted that with China now boasting the world's largest turbine manufacturing sector through companies such as Goldwind, Sinovel Wind and Dongfang, the country is on track to take Germany's title of largest wind energy generator as early as 2009.

It also claimed that the rapid expansion of the wind energy sector in emerging economies meant that wind could generate up to 12 per cent of the world's power by 2020 - saving 10 billion tonnes of carbon in the process - and represent almost a third of the global energy mix by 2050.

Meanwhile, reports have emerged this week that Indian turbine maker Suzlon Energy is to undertake a share issue to finance the acquisition of an extra 22 per cent stake in Germany's REpower Systems.

The company already holds a 66 per cent stake in REpower Systems, but according to India's Business Standard is committed to bolstering its stake and is in talks with a number of private equity firms about raising the required funds through a share sale.

Suzlon Green Power Commits USD5 Billion To Renewable Energy In China And India

September 30, 2008

Suzlon Green Power, an enterprise wholly owned by India's Tanti family, announced at the 2008 Clinton Global Initiative that it will bring 3,500 megawatts of electricity to nearly 10 million people.

Suzlon pledged USD5 billion in green energy assets over five years, primarily in India and China. Of the USD5 billion total project value, Suzlon Green Power will provide approximately USD1.5 billion in equity.

"The urgent global need for clean energy compelled me to dramatically expand my family's business holdings," said Tulsi R. Tanti, who is best known as the founder of the wind-turbine company, Suzlon Energy, based in India. "Our flagship business Suzlon Energy continues to focus on developing wind power solutions, offering wind turbines to the global market. On the other hand, we now commit to developing and owning green power assets through Suzlon Green Power, which will bring energy where it is needed most."

Tanti's efforts are global, with a majority of Suzlon Green Power's projects to be located in India and China, two areas with burgeoning energy needs. The company estimates that its projects will create 1,000 jobs directly and many times more indirectly, and will reduce emissions by the equivalent of seven million tons of CO2 a year.

The International Energy Agency estimates that the world's energy needs will increase by more than 50 percent by 2030, and both China and India's energy use is set to double between 2005 and 2030. Suzlon, with other global organizations, is exploring the most efficient renewable energy sources that can be scaled-up to meet this exponentially growing demand for energy.