Vestas World-Leader in Installed Wind Turbines

Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas Wind Systems (Vestas) has regained its position as the world-leading turbine installer, reaching first place in the top five companies in terms of total capacity installed, according to research and consulting firm GlobalData’s unique wind turbine installation figures for 2013.

The company’s latest research shows that Vestas has knocked GE Power & Water out of this position from 2012. This comes following Vestas’ high number of wind turbine installations in the US, which is a major market for the company.

Both GE Power & Water and Gamesa Corporacion Tecnologica slipped completely from the top five original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in 2013, falling from first and fifth position, respectively. In 2013, GE Power & Water installed 980.2 Megawatts (MW) of wind turbines, which is over 80% lower than its 2012 installed capacity.

German turbine manufacturer Enercon has made the top five list as the second largest turbine supplier in 2013, climbing up from its fourth position in 2012. Germany, Canada and Turkey proved major markets for Enercon in 2013, where the company installed total capacities of 1,484.8 MW, 582.5 MW and 237.1 MW, respectively.

While Chinese OEMs were absent from the top five in 2012, Chinese wind turbine supplier Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology (Goldwind) has blown its way into third place in 2013, advancing from its seventh position in 2012. GlobalData states that this is due to the company’s increasing installations in the Chinese domestic market.

Meanwhile, German OEM Siemens slipped to fourth position in the rankings, as Goldwind overtook the company to claim its position from 2012. Siemens’ drop follows its decline in US, UK and Romanian wind turbine installations.

Like Goldwind, Suzlon Group was another new entrant in the top five and ranked as the fifth largest OEM for 2013, advancing from its sixth position in 2012. The company installed more turbines in 2013 than in 2012, conducting large-scale installations in Canada, Germany and Poland, says GlobalData.

Press release, March 13, 2014; Image: Vestas