BNEF said the total global installations was 25% higher than 2014's total.
This year's figure was aided by an additional 4GW of offshore capacity being built – four times higher than 2014 — 1GW — and double the previous highest yearly figure set in 2013. However, not all of the capacity has yet been grid-connected. On the same day, the European Wind Energy Association said that 3GW of offshore wind installations had been built and connected to the grid in 2015.
Onshore wind installations grew by 58GW, 20% higher than the record set in 2014, BNEF said.
China was once again the largest market for wind installations, adding 29GW in 2015. The total was higher than expected, BNEF said, following a rush in 2014 to complete projects ahead of a cut to the country's feed-in tariff.
The Chinese government has also confirmed a further cut from the start of 2016, which may explain a rush at the end of 2015 resulting in the unexpectedly high figure.
"It was a fantastic year for the wind industry," said BNEF head of wind insight Amy Grace. "China was by far the biggest surprise. While it's not atypical for China to lead in new energy installs, 29GW far exceeded our estimates," she added.
| Top Five Countries | (according to BNEF) |
| Country | Added Capacity |
| China | 29GW |
| US | 8.6GW |
| Germany | 3.7GW |
| India | 2.6GW |
| Brazil | 2.6GW |
