China Had the World's Largest Wind Energy Capacity in 2020

Wind energy capacity is rapidly expanding globally as an effort to reduce carbon emissions and global warming. According to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), the total installed capacity of wind power plants worldwide reached 743 gigawatts (GW) at the end of 2020. This amount is enough to avoid 1.1 billion tons of CO2 globally.

Based on NS Energy, here are the five countries with the largest wind energy capacity in 2020.

1. China – 288.32 GW

China has the world's largest wind energy capacity, reaching 288.32 GW at the end of 2020 after adding 52 GW of new capacity during 2020. More than 278 GW of this energy source comes from onshore wind farms, with the remaining 10 GW from offshore. China has targeted carbon neutrality before 2060. Given this target, the use of new renewable energy will certainly become increasingly prevalent in China.

2. United States – 122.32 GW

Second is the United States with an installed wind energy capacity of 122.32 GW. In 2020, the United States added 17 GW of new wind capacity. Texas is the state with the largest wind power plants in the United States.

3. Germany – 62.85 GW

The total installed wind energy capacity in Germany in 2020 was 62.85 GW, divided into 55 GW onshore and 7.7 GW offshore. Wind power supplies 27% of electricity in Germany. In 2020, the country added 1.67 GW of new wind capacity.

4. India – 38.63 GW

The installed wind energy capacity in India is 38.63 GW. The Indian regions with the largest wind power plants are Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. The addition of wind energy capacity in 2020 in India was hampered by social restrictions and lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic.

5. Spain – 27.24 GW

Spain has an installed wind energy capacity of 27.24 GW. During 2020, Spain successfully added 1.4 GW of new capacity. Castilla y León, Castilla La Mancha, Galicia, Andalusia, and Aragon are the regions most actively involved in wind power development.

(Read More: Indonesia's Coal Consumption Ranked Seventh Largest in the World in 2020)