Germany’s commitment to renewable energy, particularly wind power, has long been a cornerstone of its energy transition. By 2014, the landscape was marked by a rapid rollout of wind farms across the country’s varied terrain. For analysts and policymakers aiming to measure and understand this expansion, ISIC 3510—covering electric power generation—offered a valuable framework to identify the key players and quantify capacity growth in a systematic way.
The starting point is to identify firms registered under ISIC 3510 involved specifically in wind power development. While the code broadly covers all electric power generation, narrowing down to wind farm developers requires cross-referencing business registries with project databases maintained by energy regulators, industry associations, and grid operators. These sources provide the names of companies, project locations, and development timelines.
Next, analysts collect data on grid connection dates and installed capacity for these wind farms. Grid operators maintain records of when new projects were commissioned and connected to the national grid, a crucial marker of operational status. Combining this with capacity data—usually reported in megawatts (MW)—allows for mapping the temporal and spatial progression of wind power installations throughout 2014.
Correlating these data layers reveals patterns beyond simple capacity additions. For instance, clusters of projects connecting around the same time may indicate policy-driven surges or the impact of feed-in tariff deadlines. Regional variations highlight where investments concentrated—Northern Germany’s windy coasts often dominate, but inland developments also contribute to the picture.
This methodology also helps contextualize the pace of expansion relative to Germany’s broader renewable energy targets. Comparing annual installed capacity with policy milestones enables assessment of whether the country is on track or facing bottlenecks. Delays between project approval, construction, and grid connection can be identified, offering insights into administrative or technical challenges.
Challenges in the analysis include distinguishing between different power generation sources under the broad ISIC 3510 code and dealing with incomplete or delayed data from project registries. Additionally, some smaller or community-owned projects may fall outside formal registries, leading to underestimation of total capacity.
Despite these limitations, using ISIC 3510 as a structural backbone combined with grid and project data provides a robust, replicable approach to tracking wind farm expansions. It offers policymakers and investors a clear view of how renewable energy infrastructure grows in practice—not just in plan—and highlights areas needing attention to sustain momentum.
Ultimately, mapping Germany’s 2014 wind farm expansions through this lens reveals more than megawatts added. It shows a complex interplay of policy, market forces, and technical implementation shaping the country’s energy future. For those charting renewable growth worldwide, this approach offers valuable lessons in turning ambitious goals into tangible progress.