Wind Energy

The US small wind power market is prospering

Despite the economic downturn, the US market for small wind turbines grew by 15% (+10% worldwide) in 2009. This data, reported by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), was published in the Small Wind Turbine Market study.

Small wind farm systems are defined as those with rated capacities of 100 kW and are used mainly to power homes, farms and small businesses.

In 2009, 9,800 wind turbines were sold in the US (21,000 worldwide), with an investment of $82.4 million (189 million dollars worldwide). The new installed wind power capacity was 20.3 MW, equivalent to about half of the capacity installed in the world that same year (42.5 MW).

Overall, US small wind power capacity reached 100 MW, 75% of which from systems whose capacity is lower than 10 kW.

According to the study by AWEA, state and federal incentives determined such a positive market trend, making investment more reliable and safe.

The expansion of this sector has also significantly increased the connected manufacturing industry: 9 new production plants have opened or expanded over the past year.

About 250 companies produce small wind turbines worldwide, 95 of which are located in the US, which produces approximately two thirds of all small wind energy systems that are sold in the world.

www.awea.org/smallwind/pdf/2010_AWEA_Small_Wind_Turbine_Global_Market_Study.pdf

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