WWEA releases the 2013 Small Wind World Report Update

- More than 330 manufacturers of small wind turbines can be found in 40 countries all over the world   
- More supportive policies could boost the small wind market

Husum/Bonn, 21 March 2013 (WWEA) – On the occasion of the 4th World Summit for Small Wind during the New Energy fair in Husum (Germany), WWEA released today the 2013 Small Wind World Report Update. The total number of small wind turbines installed all over the world reached 730'000 units as of the end of 2011 after 656'000 units in 2010, after 521'000 in 2009 and 460'000 in 2008. These small wind turbines represent a total capacity of around 576 MW (end of 2011), compared with a total capacity of 240 GW of large wind turbines.
The largest share of the small wind turbines can be found in two countries, China (500'000 units/225 MW) and the USA (151'000 units/198 MW), followed by the medium sized markets  with 2-22'000 installed units and 5-50 MW total capacity: UK, Canada, Germany, Spain, Poland, Japan and Italy. In 2020, WWEA expects that the total installed small wind capacity will reach 5 GW. The market for new small wind turbines will have a volume of around 1 GW in the year 2020.

Today, more than 330 manufacturers of small wind turbines have been identified in 40 countries on all continents, and another estimated 300 companies are manufacturing equipment for the small wind industry. Most of the manufacturers are still small and medium sized companies. More than half of these manufacturers can be found in only five countries, namely in China and the USA, as well as in Germany, Canada and the UK.

 In spite of a vibrant small wind sector in many countries, only few governments are offering specific support policies for small wind. Less than ten countries are offering sufficient feed-in tariffs for small wind, and there is almost a complete lack of support schemes in the development countries, where the demand for small wind turbines would be huge, especially in non-electrified areas. Only in China, small wind turbine contributes today on a large scale to rural electrification, which is also thanks to the relatively modest price level of small wind turbines in the country.

The full version of WWEA's Small Wind World Report 2013 includes:     
     - basic statistical information
     - a small wind world market forecast 2020,
     - an overview of policies, driving factors & challenges,
     - detailed country reports,
     - a small wind manufacturers catalogue with information about more than 330 small wind companies and their products.
 
A summary of the Small Wind World Report can be downloaded for free here
The complete version of the 2013 Small Wind World Report can be ordered here (available from April 2013)