COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - China became the No. 1 wind turbine market in 2009, installing a record 13.75 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity, and three Chinese suppliers ranked among the Top-10 turbine manufacturers, Danish consultants BTM said.

Turbines from China's largest wind farm dot a windswept plain in the remote northwest Xinjiang region in this September 2006 file photo. REUTERS/Emma Graham-Harrison

“The most significant trend in the market was the booming Chinese wind industry,” BTM Consult said in a summary of its annual wind power market review for paying subscribers.

China’s new capacity accounted for more than a third of the world’s total new wind energy capacity of 38 GW last year, which was a record despite the financial crisis, BTM Consult said.

“China emerged as by far and away the most successful market, installing ... the highest volume ever by one country in a single year,” BTM said.

The global market for wind power capacity is expected to nearly triple in the next five years to 447 gigawatts (GW) and could expand to almost 1,000 GW within 10 years, BTM said.

“Wind power will deliver 1.6 percent of the world’s electricity in 2010,” BTM said. “By 2019, ten years away, wind power could meet 8.4 percent of the world’s consumption of electricity.”

The most significant change in the supply market in 2009 was the strong growth of Chinese wind turbine manufacturers, three of which were among the Top-10 suppliers.

China’s Sinovel grabbed the No. 3 spot among wind turbine makers, rival Chinese manufacturer Goldwind ranked No. 5, and Dongfang was No. 7, BTM said.

It did not give their previous ranking, but Sinovel and Goldwind joined the Top-10 in 2008, while Dongfang had been among the Top-15 that year.

Denmark’s Vestas Wind Systems retained its position as the world’s leading wind turbine manufacturer with a 12.5 percent market share, but U.S. conglomerate GE was virtually tied with Vestas with a 12.4 percent share, BTM said.

Germany’s Enercon was fourth, Spain’s Gamesa sixth, India’s Suzlon eighth, Germany’s Siemens ninth and German REpower No. 10, BTM said.

BTM Consult’s market report followed a similar ranking list earlier this month from rival Danish consultancy MAKE, which also put Vestas first, Sinovel third and Goldwind fifth.