From the Earth Policy Institute:
Europe continues to lead the world in total installed capacity with over 40,500 megawatts, or two-thirds of the global total. These wind installations supply nearly 3 percent of Europe’s electricity and produce enough power to meet the needs of over 40 million people. The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) has set a target to satisfy 23 percent of European electricity needs with wind by 2030. EWEA also notes that Europe has enough wind resources to meet the electricity demands of all of its countries.
Germany, the country with the most installed wind-generating capacity, now gets 6 percent of its electricity from its 18,400 megawatts of wind power. Spain, in second place with over 10,000 megawatts of capacity, gets 8 percent of its electricity from wind.
Denmark’s 3,100 megawatts of wind capacity meet 20 percent of its electricity needs, the largest share in any country. It ranks fifth in the world in installed capacity. Denmark is also the global leader in offshore wind power installations, with 400 megawatts of existing capacity. Globally, over 900 megawatts of offshore wind capacity will be installed by the end of 2006, all in Europe.
Comment: Denmark obviously deserves enormous admiration for managing to produce 20% of its electricity from wind, but as a country of only 5 million people, it is hard to see it as a model for the U.S. That Germany, with its population of more than 82 million, gets 6% of its electricity from wind is far more striking. However, according to Greenpeace, the average European household uses 4,667 kWh/year whereas the average US household uses 11,209 kWh/year, so unless we make some progress tackling our efficiency problems, we will have a very hard time achieving European percentages of renewable electricity.
Showing posts with label Wind Power. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wind Power. Show all posts
Thursday, July 5, 2007
How much does wind energy cost?
From the American Wind Energy Association:
Over the last 20 years, the cost of electricity from utility-scale wind systems has dropped by more than 80%. In the early 1980s, when the first utility-scale turbines were installed, wind-generated electricity cost as much as 30 cents per kilowatt-hour. Now, state-of-the-art wind power plants can generate electricity for less than 5 cents/kWh with the Production Tax Credit in many parts of the U.S., a price that is competitive with new coal- or gas-fired power plants.
Over the last 20 years, the cost of electricity from utility-scale wind systems has dropped by more than 80%. In the early 1980s, when the first utility-scale turbines were installed, wind-generated electricity cost as much as 30 cents per kilowatt-hour. Now, state-of-the-art wind power plants can generate electricity for less than 5 cents/kWh with the Production Tax Credit in many parts of the U.S., a price that is competitive with new coal- or gas-fired power plants.
Wind Energy in 2007
The American Wind Energy Association estimates that more than 3000 MW of wind power will be added to the U.S. market in 2007, a 20% increase over last year’s 2400 MW of added capacity. Wind power will generate about 31 billion KWHs this year, or enough electricity to power about 3 million homes, impressive but still less than 3% of the U.S. total.
Using a common conversion rate, each MW can provide the power needs of about 200 homes. At its current rate, wind power is adding generating capacity for about 600,000 homes a year. BUT that is still less than 0.5 % of the more than 113 million households in this country.
Using a common conversion rate, each MW can provide the power needs of about 200 homes. At its current rate, wind power is adding generating capacity for about 600,000 homes a year. BUT that is still less than 0.5 % of the more than 113 million households in this country.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Wind Energy Growth
From The Union of Concerned Scientists:
As wind power costs become more competitive, demand is growing exponentially all over the world. Global wind power capacity rose from just over 6,000 MW in 1996 to more than 59,000 MW by the end of 2005–almost a ten-fold increase. Growth has recently been most significant in Northern Europe, Spain, and India, but markets in Asia and the Pacific region are emerging as well.
Comment:
Robert Socolow and Stephen Pacala, designers of the stabilization wedge for the Princeton University Carbon Mitigation Initiative, recommend that we increase our reliance on wind by 50-fold by 2054 in order for wind power to provide one of their wedges. Each wedge = 1 billion tons of emissions avoided; they believe we need 7 wedges to stabilize atmospheric CO2 levels. A 50-fold increase would mean adding world-wide wind capacity at the rate of about 61,000 MW every year.
As wind power costs become more competitive, demand is growing exponentially all over the world. Global wind power capacity rose from just over 6,000 MW in 1996 to more than 59,000 MW by the end of 2005–almost a ten-fold increase. Growth has recently been most significant in Northern Europe, Spain, and India, but markets in Asia and the Pacific region are emerging as well.
Comment:
Robert Socolow and Stephen Pacala, designers of the stabilization wedge for the Princeton University Carbon Mitigation Initiative, recommend that we increase our reliance on wind by 50-fold by 2054 in order for wind power to provide one of their wedges. Each wedge = 1 billion tons of emissions avoided; they believe we need 7 wedges to stabilize atmospheric CO2 levels. A 50-fold increase would mean adding world-wide wind capacity at the rate of about 61,000 MW every year.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Wind Energy in The U.S.
Wind Energy Today is:
* Able to power the equivalent of 3 million homes in the US: 11,603 megawatts installed
* Providing less than 1% of US electricity today, while public support remains high
* Second largest new source of power generation in the US, after natural gas
* Saving emissions by 19 million tons of carbon dioxide per year
* Saving water by more than 600 billion gallons this year
Some Companies getting their power from Renewable sources:
Wells Fargo, Whole Foods, Johnson & Johnson, Starbucks, Pepsico (100%), Sprint Nextel, Nike, Staples
Wind Energy Works!
* Able to power the equivalent of 3 million homes in the US: 11,603 megawatts installed
* Providing less than 1% of US electricity today, while public support remains high
* Second largest new source of power generation in the US, after natural gas
* Saving emissions by 19 million tons of carbon dioxide per year
* Saving water by more than 600 billion gallons this year
Some Companies getting their power from Renewable sources:
Wells Fargo, Whole Foods, Johnson & Johnson, Starbucks, Pepsico (100%), Sprint Nextel, Nike, Staples
Wind Energy Works!
Wind vs. Coal #2: Water
From the Union of Concerned Scientists:
A typical 500-megawatt coal-fired power plant draws about 2.2 billion gallons of water each year from nearby water bodies, such as lakes, rivers, or oceans, to create steam for turning its turbines. This is enough water to support a city of approximately 250,000 people.
Wind power generates electricity with...
* No cooling water
* No water pollution
Coal vs. Wind
Coal generates 54% of our electricity, and is the single biggest air polluter in the U.S.
A typical 500-megawatt coal-fired power plant draws about 2.2 billion gallons of water each year from nearby water bodies, such as lakes, rivers, or oceans, to create steam for turning its turbines. This is enough water to support a city of approximately 250,000 people.
Wind power generates electricity with...
* No cooling water
* No water pollution
Coal vs. Wind
Coal generates 54% of our electricity, and is the single biggest air polluter in the U.S.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Wind Week: Wind vs. Coal Emissions
From the Union of Concerned Scientists:
Burning coal is a leading cause of smog, acid rain, global warming, and air toxics. In an average year, a typical coal plant generates:
* 3,700,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary human cause of global warming--as much carbon dioxide as cutting down 161 million trees.
* 10,000 tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2), which causes acid rain that damages forests, lakes, and buildings, and forms small airborne particles that can penetrate deep into lungs.
* 500 tons of small airborne particles, which can cause chronic bronchitis, aggravated asthma, and premature death, as well as haze obstructing visibility.
* 10,200 tons of nitrogen oxide (NOx), as much as would be emitted by half a million late-model cars. NOx leads to formation of ozone (smog) which inflames the lungs, burning through lung tissue making people more susceptible to respiratory illness.
* 720 tons of carbon monoxide (CO), which causes headaches and place additional stress on people with heart disease.
* 220 tons of hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds (VOC), which form ozone.
* 170 pounds of mercury, where just 1/70th of a teaspoon deposited on a 25-acre lake can make the fish unsafe to eat.
* 225 pounds of arsenic, which will cause cancer in one out of 100 people who drink water containing 50 parts per billion.
* 114 pounds of lead, 4 pounds of cadmium, other toxic heavy metals, and trace amounts of uranium.
Wind power generates electricity with...
* No air emissions
Coal vs. Wind
Comment: A typical coal plant produces about 500 megawatts or electricity for about 100,000 households. There are about 600 in the U.S.
For a discussion of this year's victory in halting the construction of 8 new coal fired plants in Texas, see the following article from Environmental Defense.
http://environmentaldefense.org/article.cfm?contentID=5983
For some spectacular photos of off-shore wind farms check out:
Dark Roasted Blend's piece on wind-power-in-stormy-waters.
Burning coal is a leading cause of smog, acid rain, global warming, and air toxics. In an average year, a typical coal plant generates:
* 3,700,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary human cause of global warming--as much carbon dioxide as cutting down 161 million trees.
* 10,000 tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2), which causes acid rain that damages forests, lakes, and buildings, and forms small airborne particles that can penetrate deep into lungs.
* 500 tons of small airborne particles, which can cause chronic bronchitis, aggravated asthma, and premature death, as well as haze obstructing visibility.
* 10,200 tons of nitrogen oxide (NOx), as much as would be emitted by half a million late-model cars. NOx leads to formation of ozone (smog) which inflames the lungs, burning through lung tissue making people more susceptible to respiratory illness.
* 720 tons of carbon monoxide (CO), which causes headaches and place additional stress on people with heart disease.
* 220 tons of hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds (VOC), which form ozone.
* 170 pounds of mercury, where just 1/70th of a teaspoon deposited on a 25-acre lake can make the fish unsafe to eat.
* 225 pounds of arsenic, which will cause cancer in one out of 100 people who drink water containing 50 parts per billion.
* 114 pounds of lead, 4 pounds of cadmium, other toxic heavy metals, and trace amounts of uranium.
Wind power generates electricity with...
* No air emissions
Coal vs. Wind
Comment: A typical coal plant produces about 500 megawatts or electricity for about 100,000 households. There are about 600 in the U.S.
For a discussion of this year's victory in halting the construction of 8 new coal fired plants in Texas, see the following article from Environmental Defense.
http://environmentaldefense.org/article.cfm?contentID=5983
For some spectacular photos of off-shore wind farms check out:
Dark Roasted Blend's piece on wind-power-in-stormy-waters.
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