Goldwind Edges Out Vestas As World’s Leading Wind Turbine Supplier
New figures provided by Navigant Research have seen Chinese wind turbine manufacturer Goldwind edge out Vestas as the world’s leading wind turbine supplier.
In its new World Wind Energy Market Update 2016, Navigant Research found that the recent “revival of the US and German markets” was responsible for “a significant shake-up in the rankings of the world’s top wind turbine suppliers in 2015.” Specifically, China’s Goldwind edged out long-time leader, Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas.
Top 10 Wind Turbine Suppliers Market Share, World Markets: 2015
Vestas had a record year, with orders worth nearly 9 GW helping the company to impressive yearly figures. However, Goldwind, based out of China, and supplying primarily to China, benefited significantly from China’s massive wind turbine figures in 2015. 98% of Goldwind’s installations were located in the Chinese market, which installed 30.2 GW in 2015.
The two companies have been fighting it out for top spot in recent analyst reports. In February, Bloomberg New Energy Finance reported that Goldwind had unseated Vestas in 2015 for onshore wind turbine manufacturers. Towards the end of March, MAKE Consulting revealed that Vestas and Goldwind had reclaimed the top two positions, respectively, as the world’s leading wind turbine original equipment manufacturers.
GE Energy held onto its third spot “backed by strength in its domestic market in the United States and Brazil, as well as increasing installations in Europe.”
“Most wind turbine suppliers rode a record wave of wind capacity installation globally,” said Jesse Broehl, senior research analyst with Navigant Research. “This is especially true for the Chinese suppliers that represented 48 percent of 2015 capacity additions.”
Overall, according to Navigant’s report, 2015 represented a banner year for the global wind industry, showing “just how much the wind power industry has grown over the past few years” and illustrating “how firmly wind energy is entrenched as part of the broader worldwide energy system.” In 2015, Navigant found 63 GW of wind capacity was added, a 23.2% increase over 2014, with cumulative global wind power capacity growing to 434 GW.
Growth was seen in nearly every wind market. The Americas installed 14.5 GW in 2015, representing 23% of the global total, overtaking Europe by a single percentage point. China led the way, again, with 48% of the global total, followed by the United States.
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You can expect more Chinese wind growth. They are the biggest market in the world with their staggering wind power demands.
I think growth is the wrong word to describe what is going to happen the next 10-15 years in China. Explosion might be better suited. 🙂
I stand corrected. 🙂
There are several ways to determine which wind company is the largest. You could measure by sales value, turnover, number of turbines, sold capacity, actual power generation potential sold. It seem Goldwing is now leading the game in one or two of these dimensions.
Yes. Companies get into this ratings game. Without getting into that, I think its safe to say China is in wind power in a big way.
It should also be stated that Goldwind turbines are the most heavily curtailed in the world.
They installed them faster than the grid could handle them.
Goldwind is good at getting the turbines up, not so much at getting them running and getting productive power.
China is building the needed transmission.
Stranded power is nothing new. It’s happened in other countries.
Like the US, Texas in
Particular. It’s amazing how quickly Texas went from next to no renewable energy to 12+GW of wind and a massive transmission build out. And it’s still underway. Massive work remains in the central US to get that power to population
I heard they were implementing green dispatch. Curious what effect that has had.
I was going to say the same thing. And also mention that “Official Chinese Statistics” is an oxymoron.
Even without curtailment, I would bet money that the actual output of Vestas substantially exceeds Goldwing