Wind-power outlook strong, as competition intensifies

FUNDING has caused problems for wind-power developers and over-supply has been a problem for Chinese turbine manufacturers over the last year

But government-driven demand for green energy is propelling the wind market to greater heights – and it seems there is plenty more to come. Global wind-power capacity is poised to grow almost threefold to nearly 450 gigawatts (GW) over the next five years from 160 GW, taking the sector's market value to $124bn in 2014, from $75bn in 2010, according to a recent report from BTM, a Danish wind-energy consultancy. If capacity continues to grow, reaching 1 terawatt by 2019, as BTM predicts, wind energy would then account for more than 8% of world electricity production, compared with around 1.6% in 2010. The US has the world's largest wind capacity at present. Figures from the American Wind Ener