EU surpasses 100 GW of wind power capacity

Sep 27, 2012 - The European Union’s (EU) installed wind energy capacity has surpassed 100 GW, meaning that all operating wind turbines in the region produce as much power a year as 39 nuclear or 62 coal power plants.

The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), which provided the figures, said that some 50 GW had been installed in the last six years alone. EWEA calculates that EU’s total installed wind power capacity can cover the needs of 57 million homes.

One of the latest installations that contributed to the 100 GW is the 400-MW Anholt offshore wind farm between Djursland and the island of Anholt in Denmark, developed by Danish state-owned utility Dong Energy A/S.

EWEA’s chief executive Christian Kjaer said that Europe’s annual wind power output could be achieved by burning 72 million tonnes of coal or 42.4 million cubic meters of gas.

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