Wind Turbine Energy Will wind energy really help lower CO’2 emissions in the EU?

Wind Power Wind energy is the quickest growing of the renewable power technologies, though it currently provides less than 0.5% of global energy. Over the past decade, global installed maximum capacity increased from 2,500 MW in 1992 to just over 40,000 MW at the end of 2003, at an annual growth rate of near 30%. As wind energy has become more prominent and viable, several public schools are incorporating sustainable wind power into the energy grid of their school in order to cut power costs however due to the intermittency of wind energy, most deployed turbines in the EU produce electricity an average of 25% of the hours in a year (a capacity factor of 25%), but under favourable wind regimes some reach 35% or higher. Capacity factors are a function of seasonal wind fluctuations and may be higher in winter. It would mean that a typical 5 MW turbine in the EU would have an average output of 1.7 MW.

Wind Power Market In the UK, a licence to build the world's largest offshore wind farm, in the Thames estuary, has been granted. The London Array wind farm, 12 miles off Kent and Essex, should eventually consist of 341 turbines, occupying an area of 90 square miles. This is a £1.5 billion, 1,000 megawatt project, which will power one-third of London homes. The wind farm will produce an amount of energy that, if generated by conventional means, would result in 1.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year. It could also make up to 10% of the Government's 2010 renewable target.

Current and Predicted Market Increase

Wind Power and Climate Change Wind power makes no harmful emissions of carbon dioxide, so it can help us to reduce our greenhouse gasses from electricity generation. This is an important part of a much larger Climate Change Programme, and efforts to encourage a low carbon economy. Making wind power and other renewable energy now will help the UK to meet the pollution challenges of the future, and the EU Government’s long term aims for a 60% cut in carbon dioxide by 2050.

CO’2 Emissions Drop

Conclusion As you can see from the random countries that were selected, there has been a significant drop in CO’2 emissions around the EU since the employment of the Wind farms. There have been many predictions have been made about wind farm, that predict that they will continue to grow in number due to the success results of the already implemented wind farms.

References European Wind Energy Association _documents/documents/publication s/WETF/Facts_Summary.pdf (slide 2) Wind energy is the quickest growing of the renewable power technologies, European Wind Energy Association. Retrieved on Pg 4. Para 3 Telegraph News Paper jhtml?xml=/news/2006/12/18/uwind118.xml (slide 3) In the UK, a licence to build the world's largest offshore wind farm, Telegraph News Paper. Retrieved on Pg 1. Para 1 Sustainable Development Commission commission.org.uk/pages/ html (slide 5) Wind power makes no harmful emissions of carbon dioxide, Sustainable Development Commission Retrieved on Pg 1. Para 5