The wind industry's high export figures correspond to a growth of approx. 20 pct. compared to 2007, where the industry exported a total of 4.7 billion Euros of Danish wind turbine technology abroad. This means that the wind power industry exports amounted to 7.2 pct. of the total Danish exports in 2008.The Danish Wind Industry Association has just published the annual industry statistics for 2008 which show that the industry last year had a 5.7 billion Euros export of wind technology and had 28,400 employed in the sector at the end of 2008. Thus 2008 was again a record year for the wind industry and it is now among the biggest export industries in Denmark. Since then the financial crisis has turned the "world upside down" - and 2009 looks far more bleak than just a few months ago. "It went well for the export of Danish energy technology and it went particularly well for the wind industry's exports in 2008 as it accounted for more than 70 pct. of the total Danish exports of energy technology", notes Jan Hylleberg and continues, "It is particularly derived from the fact that Danish suppliers are increasingly exporting components and services to foreign producers. The Danish producers have been global for years. Now the Danish suppliers are greatly after it and it is a trend I think we will continue to see."
The Danish wind turbine industry is the world's wind hub and the center for knowhow of wind energy. But if this position and the resulting high export must be maintained, there are two main challenges that must be met. "The wind industry has an urgent need to test and demonstrate its technology in Denmark. It is therefore crucial for the industry's future, that there are the right places for testing prototypes and enough of them very soon", says Jan Hylleberg and adds "We also hope that there will soon be a renewed long term political focus when it comes to planning for renewable energy towards 2020. We need the support for the Danish development of wind power to be reconfirmed and translated into concrete planning so that our industry again can show the newest and best technologies at work on Danish soil as an integral and effective part of the Danish energy supply, and last but not least, wind turbines are essential in order for Denmark to realize its EU renewable energy targets."
The wind industry trade statistics show that by the end of 2008 there were more than 28,400 employees in the wind energy industry. In 2007, 23,500 were employed in the industry and thus employment in the industry has increased 20.9 percent. The global financial crisis and a lower than expected market growth; however, has meant that the industry has been forced to adjust production capacity in Denmark and therefore the number of employees. The Danish Wind Industry Association estimates against this background that there will be approx. 26,000 employees in the industry at the end of the second quarter 2009. "We hope and believe that the Danish wind industry at present has made the necessary adjustments to the number of employees, however if the market will not recover again soon, it might be necessary to adapt the work force even more", ends Jan Hylleberg.
Source: http://www.windpower.org
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