FPL, Iberdrola vie for wind farm leadership

London, 23 February: US independent power producer FPL Energy and Spanish utility Iberdrola ended 2005 neck-and-neck in terms of global wind power capacity, according to a new study from Emerging Energy Research (EER). Both are estimated to have 3,260MW of capacity in service, on a net ownership basis, EER's Wind Plant Ownership Rankings found.

The two are trailed by Acciona Energia, also of Spain, which is some 1,400MW behind the leaders, despite its recent acquisition of fellow Spanish developer CESA.

Babcock & Brown comes fourth, following dramatic growth in 2005, with a series of acquisitions and the fruition of earlier investments, Massachusetts-based EER says. The Australian investment firm wasn't even in the top 20 last year.

EER adds that projected strong growth in the US market in 2006 – on the back of the extension of a crucial tax credit for renewables – will "provide opportunities for FPL Energy to vie for global market leadership in 2006".

"While FPL has long dominated the US market, a cast of well-financed and experienced players are emerging," says EER's US/Canada research director Godfrey Chua. Among those expected to increase market share, he adds, are: Horizon Wind Energy, owned by Goldman Sachs; PPM Energy, owned by ScottishPower; and AES Corporation, a large US independent power producer.

The EER ranking includes the top 20 wind plant operators, which account for around one-third of wind power capacity worldwide. The full report is available to EER clients at www.emerging-energy.com.