The Age of Wind
In 2009, wind power contributed around 2% to global electricity consumption, continuing to break records. Global wind energy markets are expected to continue their rapid growth, with the world’s wind power capacity increasing by 160% over the coming five years, according to the annual industry forecast presented by the Global Wind Energy Council. GWEC expects that the global installed wind capacity will reach 409 GW by 2014, up from 158.5 GW at the end of 2009. This assumes an average growth rate of 21% per year – conservative compared to the 29% average growth that the wind industry experienced over the past decade.
By Guy Isherwood G
lobal wind power capacity increased by 38,343 MW to a total of 158,505 MW in 2009. Despite a widespread economic recession, new wind power capacity grew
more than 31% in cumulative installations, the highest rate in the last eight years.1
China passed the US to become the
world’s largest wind turbine market. Worldwide, wind power contributed 340 trillion kWhs – around 2% – to global electricity consumption. However, the US and Germany remain the top two countries by installed power, with China edging out Spain into third place last year, according to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). Developments in the global wind industry highlights
diverging tactics between China and the West in developing important renewable energy markets. China is leapfrogging global wind power rankings with a combination of aggressive growth targets and domestic support. It has doubled its entire installed capacity each year since 2005, according to GWEC.
The Wind Age For the renewable energy sector, 2009 was a watershed year
in which the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive became law. The Directive gives all EU countries binding renewables targets for the first time ever, and an overall EU goal of 20% renewable energy by 2020. For electricity, the binding targets mean that the share of renewable energy in the EU’s power mix must increase from 15% to 34% by 2020.
European Wind In Europe, wind power has overtaken all
450 new European wind energy jobs per week over the next decade. Three key areas – offshore wind, electricity grids, and the training and education of more engineers and technical staff – were identified as critical to creating those new jobs. “Only if we continue to install large amounts of renewable energy in the EU and support pilot projects of new technologies, will European renewable energy companies be able to compete,” according to former Prime Minister of Denmark Poul Nyrup Rasmussen. Offshore wind is seen as having the largest growth potential
and needs to receive stronger public support from the EU say wind protagonists. However, Europe’s current electricity supply structure still bears the characteristics of the time in which it was developed. It’s very ‘national’, the technologies applied are ageing, and the markets supporting it are under-developed. Therefore, in order to meet these ambitions the power system must be supported by modern infrastructure technology spending, research and development, and a well functioning internal market in electricity in which investors, rather than European consumers, are exposed to carbon and fuel price risk. The infrastructure, markets and technologies are available
other sources of power – such as nuclear, coal and gas – to become Europe’s number one in terms of new installed capacity. In 2009, 39% of all new power capacity was wind generated. Wind offers a multitude of benefits. It is indigenous to Europe. Wind is economically sound – there are no changeable fuel costs to pay, whilst the European wind industry is a world leader. Wind is very clean – it produces no (directly) harmful gases and producers do not need to buy carbon permits. By 2020 the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA)
China passed the US to become the world’s largest wind turbine market
on 3rd
for the build-up of a modern renewable energy power system which, by 2050, could also provide a large share of Europe’s transport needs through electric vehicles. Wind energy is at the forefront of an historic change in the way electricity is generated, supplied and consumed. We are entering, according to EWEA Chief Executive Christian Kjaer, the Age of Wind.
Strategic Energy Review The EU’s second Strategic Energy Review was endorsed by the European Parliament
February 2009, along with its six priority infrastructure
believe there will be 230 GW of installed capacity in Europe, including 40 GW offshore. By 2030, there will be 400 GW, including 250 GW offshore – ambitious goals indeed. And with stubbornly high unemployment EWEA expects the European wind energy sector to create over 250,000 new jobs in the next decade. By the end of 2009, the wind energy sector already employed 192,000. That’s 450,000 people by 2020 – on average
worldPower 2010
actions, including the interconnection of the Baltic region, the Mediterranean Energy Ring and the North Sea Offshore Grid. This is an essential step towards a European Supergrid, as well as a “fairer” power market with large amounts of renewables and affordable power, according to the EWEA. Moreover, EWEA believe that these are essential steps towards a properly functioning internal energy market in Europe. Ongoing discussions focus on the European Commission’s New Energy Policy, which it is expected to publish at some point this year. Last June, the third Energy Market Liberalisation Package was
adopted by the EU Council. National Regulatory Authorities will have to facilitate the integration of renewables into the power grid, and TSOs will have to grant electricity from renewable sources priority dispatch, as per the 2009 Renewable Energy
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