As a country without fossil fuel resources, Uruguay has undergone a fundamental change, transforming itself from a fossil fuel importer into a renewable energy exporter. The country already generates almost all of its power from renewable energy sources, with wind turbines contributing almost a third. Other relevant renewable power sources include hydro, bioenergy and solar.

José Cataldo, a professor with focus on wind power at the Universidad de la República de Uruguay, played an instrumental role in developing the country's wind power programme. In this episode, he describes how the country has reached important milestones, the main drivers and the barriers that have had to be overcome. The main lesson is that it is important to make use of one's own resources, which offer room for future growth.

Almost a century ago, pioneers in Ukraine laid the foundations for modern wind power technology. Following independence, investment in larger wind farms began, establishing Ukraine as a significant market for wind turbines. As one of the largest countries in Europe in terms of land mass, Ukraine is blessed with all types of renewable energy resources.

Yevhenii Kontorshchykov, an analyst at the Ukrainian Wind Energy Association, explains the current situation regarding the country's energy supply and wind power. Despite the ongoing war, investment in the wind sector is growing, with many communities and enterprises starting to invest directly to secure their electricity supply. This is leading to a more decentralised power supply structure and new business opportunities.

Japan was one of the first countries to develop a highly advanced wind industry, largely for export. Today, it is one of the medium-sized markets for wind power. Although the country lost some momentum domestically after being one of the pioneers, it now has ambitious plans, particularly with regard to developing its offshore wind resources.

Professor Chuichi Arakawa, Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Tokyo, has contributed to wind power development in Japan and internationally for decades. In this episode, he discusses the challenges and opportunities facing the Japanese wind power sector and emphasises the importance of ensuring that local communities benefit directly from wind farms in their vicinity.

Despite more optimistic expectations, the global wind power market stagnated in 2024. The world added 121 Gigawatt, slightly less than in the previous year, bringing the world’s wind power capacity to 1'174 Gigawatt and contributing more than 10% to global electricity demand.

In this talk, WWEA President Dr. Irfan Mirza and Secretary General Stefan Gsänger discuss global market dynamics, the important role of China and the many emerging markets, and how wind power can gain further momentum. While there is a global appetite for clean, affordable wind power alongside solar energy and other renewables, lengthy bureaucratic processes, grid constraints and, in some countries, a lack of financing are major barriers. Better engagement with local communities could simultaneously accelerate global wind power deployment.

Australia is blessed with natural resources and has made significant progress in the use of renewable energy, particularly wind power. Some states have already achieved, or are on track to achieve, 100% renewable power, with wind a major contributor.


Jarra Hicks is Director of the Community Power Agency and has been involved in the development of wind projects. She explains the opportunities and challenges of the Australian wind energy market and how greater community engagement could help accelerate the development of Australia's wind and renewable energy market.

Sweden was one of the first countries to embrace modern wind technology and is now one of Europe's most dynamic wind power markets, with one of the highest installed capacities per capita. Blessed with an abundance of wind resources, the country is rapidly increasing its share of wind power and citizens and businesses are benefiting from lower electricity prices.

Pakistan has become an important market for wind energy. In recent decades, the country has experienced major challenges with its electricity supply and wind power appears to be a perfect solution to meet the country's energy needs. Pakistan is also dependent on imported and expensive fossil fuels, which pose a problem for its economic development. 



Mirza Muhammad Umer is Senior Business Development Manager at Chinese wind turbine manufacturer Goldwind and has been involved in the development of Pakistan's wind power sector for almost a decade. He explains why, more recently, both residential and industrial consumers are playing a driving role in the development of renewable energy in Pakistan. Several wind farms are now supplying power directly to businesses, providing them with a stable and affordable supply of electricity.

Spain has played a key role in the development of modern wind power, as one of the world's largest wind power markets and by contributing to the development of modern wind technology. The country has an abundance of wind resources which, together with solar and other renewables, can provide more energy than Spain needs to meet its domestic demand.

Blessed with natural resources, especially wind and sun, the Republic of Korea is one of the most technologically innovative countries. Modern wind power started more than 25 years ago and several of the country’s major companies have invested in developing wind technology. 



The country has big ambitions, particularly in the offshore sector, but currently has a modest installed capacity of 2 Gigawatt. A lack of comprehensive policy and social integration are major barriers to wind power investment, while the country's industry has a huge demand for climate-friendly energy. 



Choong-Yul Son, a retired professor, is one of the early pioneers of wind power in Korea and has been instrumental in establishing some of the key organisations promoting wind power in Korea and beyond. He explains the current challenges and prospects of the Korean wind energy market.

The world's first documented wind generator was installed in Austria in 1883, and now, more than 140 years later, wind power plays a crucial role in the country's electricity supply, providing 12% of the country's electricity. The country has excellent wind resources in both the mountainous and eastern parts of the country and is aiming for 100% renewable energy by 2030.

Martin Jaksch-Fliegenschnee, spokesman for the Austrian Wind Energy Association (IG Windkraft), and Stefan Gsänger talk about the current challenges facing wind energy in Austria, as well as the opportunities and prospects. What is the role of the Austrian manufacturing industry and how important are community-based wind developments?