Wind energy, a renewable and sustainable power source, harnesses the kinetic energy of the wind to generate electricity. Scientists and engineers devise wind turbines to capture and convert this natural force into usable energy.
According to National Geographic, small wind turbines have the ability to generate sufficient power for a single household, producing approximately 100 kilowatts. In contrast, larger turbines, reaching heights of 240 meters, can produce a substantial output ranging from 4.8 to 9.5 megawatts.
The potential of wind power has attracted attention and investment. Several countries have emerged as leaders in the adoption and utilization of this clean energy technology. Read on to explore some of these pioneering nations.
Citing from the US News and Visual Capitalist, here are the top 6 countries that use wind energy.
1. China
China tops the list with a remarkable growth in offshore wind power over the past decades. As reported by Reuters, China’s wind farms achieved a historic milestone in March 2024, generating an unprecedented 100 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity. According to the data from the think tank Ember, this production was equivalent to the combined output of Europe and North America.
China remains the world’s largest producer of renewable energy with a 25% increase in wind-generated energy during the same month in 2023. The government reportedly made significant investments across a broad spectrum of renewable energy initiatives with the goal of tripling the size of wind and solar farms.
2. The United States
The United States has seen a remarkable surge in wind energy capacity, with states like Texas, Iowa, and Oklahoma spearheading the installations. Notably, wind power has emerged as the nation’s primary source of renewable energy since 2019. Moreover, the country’s offshore wind sector has experienced substantial growth over the past decade, with approximately 148,000 megawatts installed in 2023.
Despite the rapid expansion of wind power generation in recent years, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported a slight decline in wind power production from 434,297 gigawatt hours (GWh) in 2022 to 425,235 GWh in 2023.
3. Germany
Ranked third globally in wind energy utilization, Germany has one of the largest onshore wind capacities in the world. Wind energy has played a pivotal role in Germany’s energy transition, facilitating a shift away from fossil fuels.
At the end of 2023, Germany’s wind energy infrastructure comprised approximately 29,000 wind turbines, generating about 69,459 megawatts of electricity. A compound annual growth rate of more than 7.6 percent was reported between 2013 and 2023.
4. India
India has seen a staggering surge in wind power adoption, with annual growth rates soaring by 9.3 percent from 2013 to 2023. By 2023, the country has an impressive installed wind turbine capacity of approximately 44,736 megawatts.
According to the official website of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the Indian government has been actively fostering the growth of wind power projects through strategic private sector investments.
5. Spain
Spain has showcased impressive growth in recent years, with wind energy becoming the country’s primary source of electricity generation by 2023. The nation’s wind power capacity surpassed 30,000 megawatts, exceeding 24 percent of the annual electricity demand. Between 2013 and 2023, Spain’s wind energy sector experienced a consistent annual growth rate of 3.1 percent.
6. United Kingdom
Reuters reported that wind power has overtaken fossil fuels as the United Kingdom’s primary source of electricity generation. For two consecutive quarters, wind farms have been the dominant contributor to the nation’s energy supply. This marks the longest sustained period in which wind power has outpaced fossil fuels in the UK.
In the first quarter of 2024, wind energy accounted for an average of 39.4 percent of the total electricity generation, surpassing fossil fuels, which contributed 36.2 percent.
