The wind energy council’s latest report on the world market says China added 16,500 Mw of wind capacity last year, bringing its total capacity to 42,287 Mw at the end of 2010.

The U.S., which ranked first in 2009, slipped to second place last year, with a total capacity of 40,180 Mw, says the report by the Brussels-based council.

The report, released in April, also said China “is set to continue the rapid upscaling of its wind capacity,” and is expected to add more than 20,000 MW of wind energy capacity per year by 2015.