According to the latest Global Wind Report by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), the past year saw a major boost in the installation of new wind energy capacity. A staggering 116 gigawatts of new wind power capacity were installed globally in 2023, marking a substantial 50 per cent increase from the previous year and setting a new record for wind projects.  

Leading the change in wind energy installation were China, the US, Brazil, and Germany, with the Netherlands alone adding 3.8 gigawatts of new offshore wind capacity of new offshore and onshore wind installations in 2023. Regions like Africa and the Middle East notably tripled their wind power capacity installation, with nearly a gigawatt (one billion watts) added last year.  

While wind power growth remains concentrated in several countries, the report highlighted global uptake of renewables as part of efforts towards combating climate change. However, experts caution that annual growth must reach at least 320 gigawatts by 2030 to fulfill the COP28 pledge of tripling renewable energy by the end of the decade. 

According to data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), seven countries - including Albania, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Iceland, Nepal, Paraguay, and the Democratic Republic of Congo - now rely entirely on renewable sources like geothermal, hydro, solar or wind power for their energy needs. 

Data compiled by Stanford University Professor Mark Jacobson reveals Norway came close to joining this group, with 98.38 per cent of its energy sourced from wind, water, or solar power. Another 40 other countries, including 11 in Europe, generate at least half of their electricity from renewables, with some like Germany and Portugal capable of briefly operating on 100 per cent renewable energy. 

The rise of solar energy also represents a promising trend for the future, with experts predicting its eventual dominance as a primary energy source. Solar energy, which accounted for 73 per cent of all renewable energy growth in 2023, is projected to become the world's leading energy source by 2050, according to a study by the University of Exeter and University College London. 

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