June 2015: The International Energy Agency (IEA) Implementing Agreement for Cooperation in the Research, Development, and Deployment of Wind Energy Systems (IEA Wind) has published a report, titled ‘Wind Technology, Cost and Performance Trends in Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Norway, the European Union and the United States: 2007-2012,’ which provides an overview of recent trends in wind plant technology, cost and performance in those countries currently represented by participating organizations in IEA Wind Task 26.

IEA Wind Task 26 – The Cost of Wind Energy represents an international collaboration aimed at exploring past, present and future wind energy costs. Each country chapter in the report discusses three primary topics: a description of the wind industry in terms of installed capacity along with near- and medium-term projections, as well as revenue and policy incentives; an elaboration of turbine- and project-level trends in the wind industry from 2007 (or 2008) to 2012, including plant size, turbine size, project performance, investment costs, operation and maintenance costs, and project financing; and the estimated levelized cost of energy for wind plants in 2008 and 2012, including power-sale prices for wind and the value of policy instruments. The report explains that, over the period from 2008 to 2012, installed capacity has increased in each country represented, as has the wind turbine size, as defined by rated capacity, rotor diameter and hub height.

Founded in 1977, the IEA Wind Agreement sponsors cooperative research tasks and provides a forum for international discussion of research and development issues. The agreement includes 20 member countries, the European Commission, the European Wind Energy Association and the Chinese Wind Energy Association. [Publication: Wind Technology, Cost and Performance Trends in Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Norway, the European Union and the United States: 2007-2012] [IEA Wind Website]