3500 MW of Wind Addition Possible in Five Developing Countries: GWEC Report

A new report by Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) has said that five countries, namely, Argentina, Colombia, Egypt, Indonesia and Morocco have the capacity to add 3500 MW of wind power in the coming five years if they do so aggressively.

The GWEC report held that the five developing countries can add an extra $12.5 billion together to their national economies and generate as many as 130,000 FTE work-years through wind energy projects.

The report is called “Capturing economic opportunities from wind power in developing economies”, which is produced in partnership with UK based renewable energy consulting firm BVG Associates. The report basically is based on the five countries that have large untapped wind power resources that have capacity to step up the growth of respective national economies through RE expansion.

Sharing the example of Morocco, GWEC report says that the wind potential of the country can lead to 638 MW of capacity addition which could generate more than 75,000 jobs and add more than $1 billion over and above to the national economy of Morocco.

GWEC report stated, “This report demonstrates the impact accelerated deployment of wind projects can have and provides an insight into how countries can tackle common barriers of clear policy, transmission and grids and permitting frameworks to deliver real action.”

“The energy transition is an opportunity for countries in every region in the world to rebuild and grow their economies on a foundation of clean energy, green jobs and secure power. This report sets out how making clear policy commitments, developing infrastructure and streamlining permitting rules will unlock renewable potential and large amounts of investment in these five countries,” said Ben Backwell, GWEC Chief Executive Officer.

The GWEC CEO added, “Pro-active policy-making and working in coordination with the industry and investors can deliver accelerated deployment of wind and renewable energy, which means new jobs, new high tech manufacturing, and accelerated growth for developing economies.”

He said that the time for action is now, and countries must set out policies that match their climate and energy ambitions; and the GWEC report sets out how policymakers can overcome common hurdles to take that action.

Mike Blanch, Associate Director, BVG Associates informed, “On offer is a pathway for greater economic growth while simultaneously improving energy security and resilience.”