Wind Turbines installations have increase greatly over the last 10 years, the vast majority are land based but offshore is becoming a popular option.
Wind energy is 100% clean and an unlimited supply.
Alongside solar, it is by far one of the cleanest sources of energy
between 2001 and 2019, global installed wind capacity increased over 27-fold
Despite its huge growth estimates show less than 5% of the world’s electricity (just over 1% of global energy) is generated from wind
China, United States, Germany, India, and Spain lead world in installed wind capacity
Over the last decade, levelised cost of electricity from CSP has fallen by nearly 50%
Biggest growth over the next 30 years is expected to be offshore with a forty-fold increase
Due to high levels of investment over the last decade, wind power costs have dropped significantly
Wind is a perfect addition to clean electricity generation. It does have some limitations with supply 'on demand' and storage of electricity generated
but paired with other clean energy generation it will become a major clean energy contributor.
Indepth Study
An Introduction
Wind power uses the force of wind to provide the mechanical power (through wind turbines) to turn electric generators. Alongside solar, it is by far one of the cleanest sources of energy.
History and Trends
Using wind to generate electricity is not a new concept. The first windmill used for the production of electric power was built in Scotland in 1887. However, it wasn’t until the beginning of the 21st century that wind started to receive serious attention as a source of 100% clean electricity.
According to the Global Wind Energy Council, between 2001 and 2019, globally installed wind capacity increased over 27-fold. While onshore wind farms still generate the vast majority of all wind power, offshore wind has started to grow in popularity over the past decade.
Despite its consistent growth, the International Energy Agency estimates that less than 5% of the world’s electricity is generated from wind.
It is important to note that we are only looking at electricity production here, which is a quarter of the world’s total energy consumption.
Planes, industrial furnaces, etc. are not powered by electricity. So wind is starting to generate a good few percent of our electricity needs but
when looking at total global energy requirements wind currently produces just over 1% of our needs.
According to data from Wind Energy International, about 40% of all global installed capacity is located in Asia. With over 90% of that located specifically in China.
Countries with the largest installed wind capacity, in order;
China
United States
Germany
India
Spain
Onshore vs. Offshore
When talking about wind power generation, turbines can either be installed on land (onshore) or out at sea (offshore). While onshore wind has dominated
until now, offshore is becoming increasingly popular because of its ability to generate higher levels of electricity. Out at sea, the turbines can
be much bigger and can take advantage of faster, more consistent winds.
Projections from IRENA predict that by 2050, total installed capacity could grow
nearly ten-fold for onshore wind and over forty-fold for offshore wind.
Like solar, wind energy is 100% clean and does not produce any harmful emissions.
Cost Effective
Due to high levels of investment over the last decade, wind power costs have dropped significantly. When it comes to onshore wind, IRENA predicts
that by 2030, levelised costs of electricity will already be less expensive than the cheapest fossil fuel options.
In the case of offshore wind,
costs should be lower than the cheapest fossil fuel options by 2050.
Disadvantages
Wind Fluctuations
Although wind energy is sustainable and unlimited, the wind isn’t always blowing. For a wind turbine to be efficient, the location where it is
built needs to have a relatively constant supply of wind energy. Furthermore, because wind energy is directly converted to electricity, storage options
are very costly and limited.
Land Requirements
Onshore wind farms can take up a lot land. In many regions, alternative uses for the land might be more highly valued than electricity generation.
Offshore wind turbines are a good solution, but they can also cause problems when you consider shipping lanes, their effect on aquatic life, etc.
Data Sources
1.
Tennessee Valley Authority / WikiMedia Public domain
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