Italian wind power up 30 per cent in 2009

Installation in 2009 was 1,114 megawatts, in line with that of previous years, they said in a joint statement. Wind power production was a record of about 6.7 terawatt hours, or 2.1 percent of internal consumption.

The growth came "despite the financial crisis that overran the national and international economies in 2009," said the statement from the National Wind Energy Association (ANEV), the Board for New Technology (ENEA), the Renewable Energy Producers Association (APER) and the Italian unit of the International Solar Energy Society.

Italy is third in Europe and sixth in the world in wind power production despite lacking overall rules for the sector, it said.

Swift action by the government on that issue would allow Italy to reach its potential wind power capacity of more than 16,000 megawatts, the statement said.