Vestas becomes the first company to install 100 GW of wind turbines

News release from Vestas Wind Systems A/S
Aarhus, 09 January 2019

Vestas has been a pioneer in wind energy solutions and a cornerstone in making the world’s energy mix sustainable. In late 2018, a new milestone was reached in that 40-year journey, as Vestas achieved 100 GW of installed wind turbines with the installation of a V110-2.0 MW turbine at MidAmerican Energy’s Wind XI project in Iowa, U.S.  

Since the inaugural installation of a V10-30 kW turbine in Denmark in 1979, Vestas has installed over 66,000 turbines in around 80 countries across six continents and been a key part of taking wind energy from niche to mainstream. Today, Vestas’ largest onshore wind turbine is the V150-4.2 MW turbine, and the 100 GW milestone has thus been made possible by the continuous evolution of our wind energy technology and solutions, which have seen output and efficiency increase to a level that has made wind energy the cheapest form of electricity in many markets.

“We have pioneered wind energy across the globe for 40 years, and to install 100 GW together with our customers and partners is something we are extremely proud of as it underlines how far Vestas and wind energy have come. It’s also a pleasure to celebrate this milestone with a key customer like MidAmerican Energy”, says Anders Runevad, Vestas President and CEO. “Reaching this milestone has required continuous innovation, strong commitment and great execution from all Vestas’ employees, and the 100 GW therefore represents a key part of the foundation that enables us to develop the sustainable energy solutions of the future”.

During the journey to 100 GW, Vestas has helped remove over a hundred million tonnes of CO₂ from the atmosphere by providing sustainable and cost-effective solutions to meet the world’s energy demand. By crossing this 100 GW threshold, Vestas has installed approximately 10 percent of the world’s total 1 TW of installed wind and solar energy capacity¹.

The capacity of the Wind XI project will grow to up to 2,000 MW and consist of multiple sites in Iowa placed into service between 2017 and 2019. Powered by V110-2.0 MW turbines built at Vestas’ factories in Colorado, Wind XI will deliver clean, low-cost wind energy to MidAmerican Energy’s customers and communities. Vestas will provide operations and maintenance for Wind XI project sites via long-term AOM 5000 service agreements.

Based on global average electricity, 100 GW of wind energy saves around 129 million tonnes of CO₂ annually², equalling CO₂ emissions from³:

• 141 billion pounds of burned coal
• 298 million barrels of oil
• 22.54 million U.S. homes yearly electricity use
• 33 coal-fired power plants
• Carbon sequestered from 152 million acres of forest

For more information, please contact:
Anders Riis
Director, Communications
Mail: ANPRR@vestas.com
Tel: +45 4181 3922

About Vestas
Vestas is the energy industry’s global partner on sustainable energy solutions. We design, manufacture, install, and service wind turbines across the globe, and with 100 GW of wind turbines in around 80 countries, we have installed more wind power than anyone else. Through our industry-leading smart data capabilities and unparalleled volume of wind turbines under service, we use data to interpret, forecast, and exploit wind resources and deliver best-in-class wind power solutions. Together with our customers, Vestas’ more than 24,400 employees are bringing the world sustainable energy solutions to power a bright future.


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¹ Source: Bloomberg New Energy Finance:  https://about.bnef.com/blog/world-reaches-1000gw-wind-solar-keeps-going/

² Source: International Energy Agency: https://webstore.iea.org/download/direct/2373?fileName=CO2_Emissions_from_Fuel_Combustion_2018_Highlights.pdf (assumes 0.30 capacity factor and avoided CO₂ of 490 grams per kWh).

³ Source: Environmental Protection Agency Green House Gas equivalencies calculator: https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator