Wind Turbines: Record Year in 2023 with 120.7 GW of New Capacity

According to the annual Supply Side Data report from GWEC, 2023 was a record year for wind turbine manufacturers in terms of volumes supplied.

GWEC Market Intelligence found that, despite a complex macroeconomic context and ongoing supply chain challenges, a total of 30 wind turbine manufacturers installed an unprecedented 120.7 GW of new capacity.

This result highlights the resilience and determination of the sector in facing global difficulties.

Wind Turbines: Chinese Suppliers Played a Dominant Role

Chinese suppliers played a dominant role, with a total installation of 81.6 GW in 2023. This led to four Chinese companies being among the top five global suppliers. Goldwind emerged as the top supplier of the year, followed by Envision, which climbed three positions to second place.

Danish company Vestas ranked third, while Windey and Mingyang took fourth and fifth place, respectively. Mingyang, in particular, became the world’s largest offshore wind turbine supplier in 2023. Sany and Dongfang also made it into the top 10, further consolidating the Chinese presence.

However, it is important to note that 97% of the installations by Chinese companies in 2023 occurred in the domestic market, the same level as the previous year. Chinese companies installed 2.3 GW outside their market, with 63% of this in the Asian region.

In terms of cumulative global installations, Vestas, Siemens, Gamesa, and GE Vernova remained at the top as the leading global wind turbine suppliers until the end of 2023.

Ben Backwell, CEO of GWEC, stated: “The data in this report paint a picture of a global sector in accelerated growth. However, this growth is concentrated in mature markets like China, the USA, and Germany. For wind energy to reach its full potential in the transition to net zero, it is crucial that growth extends globally, particularly in emerging and developing economies.”

In 2023, 23,833 Wind Turbines Were Installed

In 2023, a total of 23,833 wind turbines were installed globally, produced by 30 different companies, of which 19 were from the Asia-Pacific region, 8 from Europe, 2 from the Americas, and 1 from the Middle East. This growth was primarily driven by orders from the producers’ domestic markets, namely China, the USA, and Europe.

Goldwind installed 16.7 GW of capacity, becoming the number one supplier of the year, while Envision reached second place. Vestas, while dropping two positions, maintained a significant presence with turbines installed in 36 countries, recording a 1% increase compared to 2022.

Feng Zhao, Head of Strategy and Market Intelligence at GWEC, stated: “In 2023, over 120 GW of wind turbine capacity was installed globally, with two-thirds supplied by Chinese manufacturers. Although price competition in China has driven Chinese OEMs to seek opportunities in overseas markets, 97% of their installations in 2023 occurred in the domestic market.”