Wind turbines and renewable energy

WINDPOWER

Wind power is developing rapidly at both European and global levels. Over the past 15 years, the global installed capacity of wind power has increased from around 2.5 GW in 1992 to more than 94 GW at the end of 2007 – an average annual growth of more than 25 per cent.

Due to ongoing improvements in turbine efficiency and higher fuel prices, wind power is increasing in economic competitiveness against conventional power production.

WIND TURBINES

In recent years, three major trends have dominated the development of grid-connected wind turbines:

1. turbines have become larger and taller;
   
2. the efficiency of turbine production has increased
   steadily; and
   
3. in general, the investment costs per kW have
   decreased, although there has been a deviation
   from this trend in the last three to four years.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

Not all energy sources have the same negative environmental effects or natural resources depletion capability. Fossil energies exhaust natural resources and are mostly responsible for environmental impacts.

On the other hand, renewable energies in general, and wind energy in particular, produce few environmental impacts, and these are significantly lower than those produced by conventional energies.

Moreover, wind energy has a key role to play in combating climate change by reducing CO2 emissions from power generation.