Latin America shows wind capacity surge in 2014

Brazil ended last year with 6GW installed capacity, ranking 10th globally, according to Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) data released Tuesday. Worldwide installations totaled 51.5GW, reaching 369.5GW last 31 December.

Auction systems and price competitiveness of wind power technologies were behind the newly contracted wind farms that saw countries like Uruguay, Peru and Chile consolidate their renewables industry.

Analysts forecast Brazil will add another 3GW to 4GW by the end of 2015 as contracted wind farms at auctions held yearly since 2009 are being built. Wind now accounts for about 4% of Brazil's total installed generation capacity.

After Brazil, Chile registered the second largest capacity increase, adding 506MW to end 2014 with 836GW. Uruguay came second, installing 405MW, bringing total capacity to 464MW.