Wind energy is the world’s fastest-growing energy. Both in Europe and worldwide, wind power is being developed rapidly. In 2008, more wind power capacity was installed in the EU-27 than
any other electricity generating technology, as seen from Fig. 2. A total of 8484 MW wind power capacity was installed in the EU-27. This puts wind energy ahead of any other power technology for the first time. 36% of all new electricity producing capacity installed in the EU was wind energy followed by natural gas (6932 MW – 29%), photovoltaic (4200 MW – 18%), oil (2495 MW – 10%), coal
(762 MW– 3%) and hydro (473 MW– 2%).