Germany remains largest exporter in wind power technology

The German Wind Energy Association (BWE) said in a recent press release that German exports of wind turbines increased 55 percent in 2005 over 2004 to 2.9 billion euros.

Sales inside Germany went up 11 percent to 1.16 billion euros, it added.

"Germany is the world champion in wind energy technology. No other country generates so much wind energy and no other country has more technological know-how in this area than Germany," said BWE President Peter Ahmels.

Ahmels said that more than 18,000 wind turbines are spinning in Germany and wind energy provides over 64,000 people with jobs. In 2005, German wind generators produced over 26 billion kilowatt- hours of wind power.

Currently wind turbines provide 5 percent of Germany's electricity and the figure will grow to 20 percent by 2020.

According to the EU guidelines, regenerative energy should account for a minimum of 21 percent of European power generation by 2010.

To achieve this, Germany must produce at least 12.5 percent of its power using clean energy sources by 2010. Today the share is already 10.2 percent.