In 2011 some 199,000 wind turbines spun 238 GW of electricity in the world.
Like the solar industry, wind has been growing at two-digit rates for over a decade. Also like solar, the forecast for the next five years is positive, after a slump in 2013. The USA and EU will continue growing and China will remain the largest market. Yet they will grow at a slower pace than the new wind emerging markets: Brazil and India. Most of new installations already take place outside of consolidated markets.
The wind energy industry faces tough challenges
But keeping constant growth will be hard: An oversupply of turbines will hold the upward trend in 2013 and put component suppliers and turbine manufacturers under strong price pressure; the financial crisis is making capital scarcer; and public policies are not as stable and clear as the industry needs.
As it matures, the wind industry is becoming tougher, specially for inland installations. Thousands of component suppliers fight for the orders of equipment manufacturers. And, except for tower manufacturers, a handful of OEMs rule each equipment market (bearings, blades, control systems, gearboxes and offshore foundations).
The best opportunities in wind power are in services -and offshore
Though it only accounts for about 2% of global installed capacity, offshore wind attracts most of the media attention, thanks to its huge growth potential and its place in most political agendas. It is a relatively new sector and a young technology.
Today, the most profitable business opportunities in the wind industry are downstream the value chain: for service providers that operate, maintain and retrofit wind parks. In the coming years, as the technology develops, new opportunities will emerge in offshore wind for component suppliers (cabling, vessels) and equipment manufacturers (floating turbines).
Contact Apricum for business opportunities in wind energy
Get in touch with us to find out more about the wind industry, and how we can help you seize the most attractive opportunities in wind power for your business.