EU wind power seen steady in 2009 despite crisis

Europe looks set to build slightly more wind capacity this year than in 2008, despite weakening electricity demand due to the economic crisis, the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) said on Friday.

About 8,600 megawatts of new wind energy capacity will be installed in the European U-nion’s 27 nations in 2009, 1 percent higher than the 8,484 megawatts installed last year, EWEA estimated.
“Although the outlook for 2009 is encouraging, the real test of the wind energy sector’s ability to withstand the financial crisis will be 2010,” said Christian Kjaer, EWEA chief executive.

Reuters