Brussels, 24/03/2015 (Agence Europe) - According to the latest EurObserv'ER barmometer on wind power published in mid-March, the EU set a new record of wind power installed in 2014, with 12.4 gigawatts of capacity installed - thus bringing its total to 130.4 GW. The trend is nevertheless no longer of a sustained and constant rise in power installed (which since 2012 has been hovering around 12 GW).
This apparent stability masks contrasting developments between the member countries, which are highlighted by the wind power per inhabitant indicator (which removes the size effect of a country) - at the end of 2014 Denmark had the strongest wind power per inhabitant, and is now followed by Sweden and Germany. Spain was relegated to fourth position and is closely followed by Ireland and Portugal.
Only Germany, the UK and Belgium increased their offshore wind capacity in 2014. The offshore power installed in the EU rose by at least 2,250 MW, bringing the cumulated offshore power to 9,243 MW - in other words, 7.1% of the EU's wind power. (Emmanuel Hagry)