USA - Commerce Department Report shows wind industry shift

Wind industry imports of generator sets increased only marginally in 2008 despite the industry’s red-hot 61% growth rate last year, according to a report released this week by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC).

The report presents concise yet detailed information about the U.S. market and supply chain for the wind industry, including information on original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), blade and tower facilities, OEM market competition, and U.S. trade within the wind industry. The ITC report also profiles some of the largest foreign industries and markets. While much of the report synthesizes data from third parties, it showcases official Department of Commerce statistics on
trade for the wind industry.

One trend that is particularly eye catching from a wind industry perspective is the level of imports relative to wind energy growth in 2008 as compared to 2007. The report found that while increases in imports of “wind-powered generating sets” roughly tracked with the industry’s growth in 2007, the huge industry growth in 2008 was accompanied by increases in domestic production capacity. From 2006 to 2007 imports nearly doubled, roughly consistent with annual U.S. wind power capacity additions, which increased from 2,454 MW to 5,249 MW; however, import additions in 2008 were marginal despite the wind industry adding a record 8,545 MW in capacity last year.

While this is due to a variety of market factors, it is indicative of the shift towards domestic manufacturing that the industry is seeing in nacelle components like generator sets. Other components, such as blades and towers, have also seen decreasing imports as a percentage of overall investment.

Please contact Trevor Sievert at ts@windfair.net for more information