Africa, Middle East install close to 1 GW of wind in 2018

Africa and the Middle East installed 962 MW of new onshore wind capacity in 2018, up by more than 300 MW from a year earlier, the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) said Monday.

The three countries that led the growth were Egypt with 380 MW, Kenya with 310 MW and Morocco with 120 MW.

The total installed wind capacity in Africa and the Middle East now stands at 5.7 GW with the GWEC forecasting that an additional 6.5 GW will be added by 2023. It said it expects wind installations of more than 1 GW each year.

“In January 2019, Saudi Arabia awarded 400 MW to build the first commercial onshore wind farm in the Middle East. The bid of 21.30 USD/KWh proves the competitiveness of onshore wind,” GWEC CEO Ben Backwell said.

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