March 30, 2015 – A new report from Navigant Research found worldwide wind power installations grew by 42% in 2014.

The global wind industry “staged a remarkable comeback in 2014,” according to BTM Consult, a part of Navigant Research that was behind the study, titled World Wind Energy Market Update 2015. This was largely fuelled by the “policy-driven acceleration of installations in three key countries—China, Germany, and the United States.”

Expansion in second-tier countries, such as Brazil, Turkey, France, and Canada also helped sustain a strong foundation for the industry, the report stated.

“The wind power industry achieved a record year of installations in 2014, setting the stage for steady growth in the coming years,” says Jesse Broehl, senior research analyst with Navigant Research. “The industry’s development is being bolstered by key established markets and increasingly supported by new and diversified global markets.”

The revival of the U.S. and German markets meant there was a “significant shake-up in the rankings of the world’s top 10 wind turbine suppliers in 2014,” according to the report. Vestas remained the top supplier after strong sales both onshore and offshore across global markets. Siemens jumped two positions to second place in 2014 due to strong sales in the offshore sector and the surge of the German market. Siemens would have challenged Vestas’ top position if more planned 2014 offshore turbines been fully commissioned and grid-connected, the report concluded.

The World Wind Energy Market Update 2015 covers developments in the wind energy sector during 2014. As in previous editions, this report assesses important changes over the last 3 years and provides a 5-year market forecast, followed by a projection of likely market progress for the next 5 years.