Worldwide wind power capacity surged a record 50% over the last calendar year, according to a new report that tracks global generation capacity.
The Global Wind Energy Council reports that 2023 saw 117 gigawatts of new wind power brought online, the highest annual rate of growth on record.
Fifty-four countries contributed to the new expansion, with China alone accounting for 65% of the total. The U.S., Brazil and Germany were the countries with the next-highest shares of the total, with 5%, 4% and 3% respectively.
Total global power generated through wind now stands at 1,021 gigawatts.
GWEC expects new wind power to grow at more than 9% over the next four years. Growth will also continue through 2030, the group says, thanks to wind-friendly national policies and increased momentum for offshore wind projects.
But the rate of new projects will have to grow further still to meet power goals set out at COP28, where delegates made a pledge to triple renewable power capacity worldwide by 2030.
"It’s great to see wind industry growth picking up, and we are proud of reaching a new annual record," said GWEC CEO Ben Backwell. "However much more needs to be done to unlock growth."
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In 2023, wind power accounted for a little over 10% of the overall U.S. energy mix, or roughly 425,000 gigawatts. In January, the U.S. Energy Information Administration projected that wind would grow by about 11% through 2025.
Its growth is expected to be steady compared to the sharp climb of new solar installation, which provides less than 4% of U.S. energy now but is expected to jump by 75% through 2025.
