The map above shows the locations of wind farms across Europe and comes from the European Commission’s SETIS (Strategic Energy Technology Information System) website.
Two things really jump out at you when first looking at the map. The extreme destiny of wind farms in Germany and the lack of wind farms in Eastern Europe and also Norway.
According to Wind Europe, 12.5 GW of gross additional wind capacity was added in Europe in 2016 to bring the total to 153.7 GW, overtaking coal as the second most important energy source.
The top 10 countries in Europe in terms of installed capacity by the end of 2016 were:
- Germany – 50,019 MW
- Spain – 23,075 MW
- UK – 14,542 MW
- France – 12,065 MW
- Italy – 9,257 MW
- Sweden – 6,519 MW
- Poland – 5,782 MW
- Portugal – 5,316 MW
- Denmark – 5,227 MW
- Netherlands – 4,328 MW
Malta and Liechtenstein are the only two European countries to have no wind capacity whatsoever, although Slovakia, Slovenia, Iceland, and Belarus only have 3 MW of installed capacity each.
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Find this map interesting? Please share with a friend and leave your comments below:
S Vagen says
Thanks for great map!
Regarding wind overtaking coal as the second most important energy source: This sounds like yet another half-truth that translates into a blatant lie about green energy.
Measuring wind in installed MW against other energy sources is meanigless as it on average produces less than 30% of the installed capacity i MW – and will never produce significantly more than a third. Meanwhile coal can deliver over 90 % of installed capacity if required.
Make no mistake, I am not a fan of coal, but I do not like to be mislead and lied to by propaganda like this.
Xenos says
Germany seems to be almost covered with windmills… What part of the total production is done by wind ?
I totally agree with you S Vagen. Wind farms is a good job for wind farmers…
Alex W says
In 2016, 30% were from renewables (of which 40% were from wind); coal contributed slightly less than renewables in total (29%); see https://www.bdew.de/internet.nsf/id/E4E10382D00C258AC125808F003B1389/$file/Folien_BDEW_Pressegespr%C3%A4ch_201216.pdf
David says
Absurd, mate. Coal is untenable as a future fuel. Wind is one card in the deck. This map carries no politics. It’s just a map showing wind generation. Even with all its windmills, Denmark still imports nuclear power from Sweden. It is important, too, to realise (not the job of a map) that Norway has heaps of hydroelectricity (like NZ) and the capability and impetus to build wind (tidal, solar) are less urgent than coal in E Europe. EU could get gigawatts of solar from N Africa, both developing those nations and getting cheap power. Where there’s a will there’s a way, though more difficult in the teeth of naysayers,mate.
Leo Smith says
I know the uk is third but it doesn’t reflect very well since we have more wind than anyone else…Norway are lucky enough to have a shed
load of hydro and a small population
Steve C says
Any idea if anyone had produced a similar map available for North America?
Torqueback says
Fascinating – except that I’ve just sailed across the North sea and the place is littered with wind farms. These, plus gas and oil rigs, means that shipping has to keep its speed down: it’s like travelling through a built-up area…