http://www.newenergyworldnetwork.com/renewable-energy-news/by-technology/wind/wind-investment-activity-flourishes-as-china-overtakes-the-us.html

With China taking the lead in installed wind power capacity, moving ahead of the US, global deal activity in the wind sector has prospered in the last week.

China is expected to lead growth in the Asia Pacific region – which is anticipated to outpace Europe by 2013 – as the fastest-growing region for wind installation in the world, analysts predict.
China saw two major high-value transactions in the wind energy sector this week, with China WindPower securing $240m from Asian Development Bank at the close of the trading week to develop wind projects in the country.
One week after the US and China pledged to increase bilateral trade co-operation, public US wind company CleanTech Innovations and China HuaNeng Group inked an $11m wind tower supply deal.
The biggest wind deal this week, however, went to Indian wind energy company Suzlon, which won a $1.28bn order for 1GW of wind turbines from Caparo Energy, another India-based wind company.
The US also made its mark this week when American Superconductor, which incidentally has two bases in China, signed a $9m wind turbine control supply contract under which it will deliver controls to India-based Inox Wind.
Europe was also high on the wind market radar this week, with France launching a $13.62bn offshore wind tender early in the week. Major offshore wind turbine manufacturer Alstom and developer EDF Energies Nouvelles were two key players to pair-up to bid under the French tender.
Dutch contractor Van Oord bagged a €400m contract to engineer, procure and construct the Bard offshore wind farm in the Netherlands, which is set to supply energy to 1.5 million consumers.
The UK was also visible in the wind investment quarter this week, with Terra Firma power subsidiary Infinis taking three E.ON wind assets in one of the week’s biggest wind acquisitions. RWE also awarded wind turbine manufacture contracts to Bladt Industries and EEW Special Pipe Construction this week for the 576MW Gwynt y Môr offshore wind farm in Wales.
With the wind sector set to rise at a compound annual rate of 17 per cent from now until 2015, a new alternative energy investment partnership between power heavyweights GE Capital, NRG Energy and ConocoPhillips is poised to lead investment into wind energy innovation.
The new joint venture capital collaboration Energy Technology Ventures is expected to accelerate the invention, development and commercialisation of new technologies, with investments spanning the gamut of renewable energy innovation.
Bringing US-headquartered NRG Energy and ConocoPhillips – which is already engaged in lithium-ion battery development – to the investment table, may see the US at least attempt to play wind energy catch-up with its latest rival.