Countries in the Asia-Pacific installed just shy of 25GW of onshore wind during 2018, according to figures released by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).
The 24.9GW added last year – a 4.2% increase on 2017 – takes the region’s cumulative installed capacity to 256GW.
China led the pack with 21.2GW (preliminary) of onshore wind installations. India followed with 2.2GW, while Australia came third with 549MW.
Asia-Pacific’s wind energy surge is expected to continue with GWEC forecasting over 145GW of new onshore wind capacity to be installed by 2023, taking the region’s total installed capacity to over 400GW.
The latest figures released by GWEC form the statistical release of the association’s flagship Global Wind Report, due for release on 3 April.
The trade body expects China, which installed the most onshore wind globally, as well as regionally, to remain the largest onshore market in the future.
However, other markets are developing. With auctions progressing in India, new annual onshore wind capacity installations could exceed 5GW, according to the association.
GWEC director of market intelligence Karin Ohlenforst said: “Wind markets in south-east Asia offer an opportunity for growth if policy commitments focus on the competitiveness and efficiency that wind energy can offer.
“More mature Asian markets like Japan and South Korea will continue to install new onshore capacity growing the onshore market in Asia.”
GWEC, together with key industry stakeholders, is working to increase policy momentum and to increase the understanding of the competitiveness of wind energy compared to coal in developing markets such as Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines.