SNL Financial
As the American wind energy market has grown, the General Electric Co. has netted the biggest share of customers with 12,519 installed turbines accounting for nearly 19,000 megawatts of generating power.
Danish turbine maker Vestas Wind Systems, which is largest in world sales and has built its American manufacturing operations in Colorado, was runner up with nearly 7,000 installed turbines with 9,000 megawatts.
All the other turbine makers – such as Siemens AG and Mitsubushi Heavy Industries – were far behind Vestas, according to a market analysis by SNL Financial.
The future, however, looks a little more uncertain as Vestas is in fourth place for projects in development. GE is once again the leader with 12,400 MW in some phase of development, followed by German manufacturer Siemans, 5,380 MW, and United Technologies Corp., 5,068 MW.
Vestas has 4,253 megawatts in the pipeline, according to the SNL analysis. The Danish turbine maker’s main production center is Colorado where it has four factories and employs about 1,700 people.
The future of wind power in the US is being roiled by the prospect of the expiration at the end of 2012 of the federal “production tax credit,” which gives a wind farm about a $22 credit for every megawatt generated. Without the tax credit the market is projected to shrink by 90 percent, according to energy consultant IHS.
A new entratant into the US market SNL said is the Chinese company Xinjiang Goldwind Science Technology. The global turbine manufacturer is expected to have 136 new turbines installed with a capacity of 209 MW operational by the end of 2012.
Article source: http://blogs.denverpost.com/thebalancesheet/2012/05/01/ge-leads-wind-turbine-derby-vestas-distant-storm-clouds-coming/4519/
