While the commercial and banking centre Dubai finds itself dealing with the aftermath of the economic crisis, the conservative neighbour Abu Dhabi is already pursuing ambitious targets-but the climate conditions in the desert states are not always ideal for the utilization of renewable energies.

African countries are making some important strides toward a green energy sector. According to the Global Renewables Status 2009, Northern Africa boasts more than 500 MW of installed wind power, while Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania are all planning their first wind farms.

California - the top wind producer in the US since the 1980s lost its lead in 2008 in the face of intense competition from other states. But backed by strong financial and political support from the government, California's wind energy sector is slowly making a comeback.

In the UK, 2010 got off to a superb start for the wind power industry. Crown Estate has announced the nine successful bidder consortia for Round 3 of the offshore wind farm licencing. As administrative body for Crown property, it is also the official agency for awarding offshore projects.