Wind power is a “recession-busting” industry which is countering the economic problems of the European Union. That’s the claim from the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), which says the wind sector grew more than twice as fast as the EU’s economy in 2010.

The figures from the ‘Green Growth’ report released yesterday suggest the sector gave 33% more to the EU’s gross domestic product (GDP) between 2007 and 2010. In the latter, wind energy contributed €32 billion to EU GDP.

Arthouros Zervos, President of EWEA said: “Wind energy is a recession-busting industry. It is countering the recession – providing increasing economic activity, more jobs and exports every year to an EU struggling with an economic crisis intensified by ever increasing amounts of fuel being imported at rising costs to European citizens.”

EWEA predicts the wind energy will support the EU even more, as the report says by 2020 the wind sector’s could boost its contribution to GDP almost three-fold – and much more to 2030 But this depends on setting binding post-2020 targets, says the group.