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Woolnorth wind farm on the north-west tip of the island of Tasmania is the largest operating wind farm in the southern hemisphere. Set amid a stunning location of panoramic sea views and exotic wildlife, the area is swept by the famous Roaring Forties winds, which were already known to sailors in the 17th century. Records at the nearby Cape Grim show that the air is among the purest to be found on anywhere on earth.

Many unusual species inhabit the region. Among them are the Orange-bellied Parrot, a dazzling green and blue bird with its distinctive orange belly patch, and Wedge-tailed Eagles. There are also sites of both European and Aboriginal cultural significance.

The developers of the Woolnorth wind farm have ensured the conservation of this treasured habitat while clean electricity continues to be generated for Australian homes and businesses. Extensive field surveys were conducted before the turbines were constructed to make sure that the site's wildlife significance was fully reflected in the plans. The wind farm's owners have since undertaken a comprehensive management regime aimed at minimising the risk of eagles colliding with the blades. They have also established a trust fund to help conserve the habitats of the endangered Orange-bellied Parrot.

Every year the 62 wind turbines located at Woolnorth generate about 450 Gigawatt hours of electricity and avoid the emission of 560,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Woolnorth is just one of more than 40 wind farms which are contributing to a reduction in Australia's greenhouse gas emissions. The Australian government is now committed to a target for 20% of the country's electricity to come from renewable sources, including wind power, by 2020.

NOTES TO EDITORS

• The 140 MW Woolnorth wind farm comprises 62 turbines, both 1.75 MW and 3 MW capacity machines manufactured by Danish company Vestas.
• With an annual electricity output of 450 GWh, the wind farm avoids the emission of 560,000 tons of carbon dioxide each year.

 Contacts:

Global Wind Energy Council - Angelika Pullen: +32 473 947 966; angelika.pullen@gwec.net

Roaring 40s Renewable Energy - Josh Bradshaw: +61 3 6213 4331

The Global Wind Energy Council has expressed its support for the "Copenhagen Call" issued by the World Business Summit on Climate Change yesterday.

In this statement, the business community stresses that a new global climate treaty must set bold targets for emissions reductions by 2020 and 2050, limiting the global average rise in temperature to a maximum of 2°C compared to pre-industrial levels.

"The call for a 2°C limitation, which might just save us from the worst consequences of climate change, reflects the stated goal of the EU. It is commendable that the business community also backs this target," said Steve Sawyer, GWEC's Secretary General.The "Copenhagen Call" also calls for global emissions to peak and decline within the next decade, which the IPCC has indicated is the necessary if we want to stand any chance of achieving the 2°C goal.

"Just a few years ago, it would have been unthinkable for such a strong statement to come from the business world. It is a clear sign that the key elements of the business community are ready to assume their responsibility to address the threat we are all facing and to do its part in reducing emissions," added Sawyer.

"We now call upon global leaders to commit to bold emissions reductions at the climate summit in Copenhagen in December. The wind industry stands ready to play a key role in achieving the necessary targets."

Picture by KirstyWigglesworth

The Danish Wind Industry Association has just published the annual industry statistics for 2008 which show that the industry last year had a 5.7 billion Euros export of wind technology and had 28,400 employed in the sector at the end of 2008. Thus 2008 was again a record year for the wind industry and it is now among the biggest export industries in Denmark.

In a world battling both a climate and financial crisis, the wind industry can both lead the renewable energy technologies in becoming key drivers to revitalize the global economy and help to reduce global warming.

Growth Boom
- 2008 was a good year for the industry and we are very happy and proud of the fine result which shows that the wind industry had a total export of 5.7 billion Euros, says Jan Hylleberg, CEO of the Danish Wind Industry Association.

The wind industry's high export figures correspond to a growth of approx. 20 pct. compared to 2007, where the industry exported a total of 4.7 billion Euros of Danish wind turbine technology abroad. This means that the wind power industry exports amounted to 7.2 pct. of the total Danish exports in 2008.

 -  2008 was a very good year for Danish energy technology export particularly the products from the wind industry which accounted for more than 70 pct. of the total Danish energy technology export, notes Jan Hylleberg and continues:

 - It is particularly derived from the fact that Danish suppliers are increasingly exporting components and services to foreign producers. The Danish producers have been global for years. Now the Danish suppliers follow suit and it is a trend I think we will continue to see.

The Danish Lead
The Danish wind turbine industry is the world's wind hub and the center for wind energy knowhow. But if this position and the resulting high export must be maintained, there are two main challenges that must be met.

 - The wind industry has an urgent need to test and demonstrate its technology in Denmark. It is therefore crucial for the industry's future, that there are the right places for testing prototypes and enough of them very soon, says Jan Hylleberg and adds:

 - We also hope that there will soon be a renewed long term political focus when it comes to planning for renewable energy towards 2020. We need the support for the Danish development of wind power to be reconfirmed and translated into specific planning so that our industry again can show the newest and best technologies on Danish soil as an integral and effective part of the Danish energy supply, and last but not least, wind turbines are essential in order for Denmark to realize its EU renewable energy targets.

The wind industry statistics show that by the end of 2008 there were more than 28,400 employees in the wind industry. In 2007, 23,500 were employed in the industry and thus employment in the industry has increased 20.9 percent.

The global financial crisis and a lower than expected market growth; however, has meant that the industry has been forced to adjust production capacity in Denmark and therefore reduce the number of employees. The Danish Wind Industry Association therefore estimates that there will be approx. 26,000 employees in the industry at the end of the second quarter 2009.

 - We hope and believe that the Danish wind industry at present has made the necessary adjustments to the number of employees, however if the market will not recover again soon, it might be necessary to adapt the work force even more" Jan Hylleberg concludes.

• Turnover: National turnover rose to 7.2 billion Euros in 2008 against 5.7 billion Euros in 2007.
  Increase of nearly 1.5 billion Euros or 26 percent.
   
• Turnover: Global sales rose to 11.4 billion Euros in 2008 against 8.8 billion Euros in 2007.
  Increase of 2.6 billion Euros or 29 percent.
   
• Export: Exports rose to 5.7 billion Euros in 2008 against 4.7 billion Euros in 2007.
  Increase of 1 billion Euros or 20 percent.
   
• Employment: Employment rose to 28,400 employees by the end of 2008 from 23,500 employees in 2007.
  Increase of 4,900 employees or 20.9 percent.
   
• Employment today: about 26,000 by the end of the second quarter 2009.
  Increase of 2,500 employees compared to 2007 or about 11 percent.
   
  For more information, contact:
  Head of Press Rune Birk Nielsen, phone +45 61 33 36 53, e-mail rbn@windpower.org

Texas has historically been known as an oil rich state. Now it has become the leading centre for the wind energy boom that has been sweeping the United States.

By the end of last year over 7,100 MW of wind power capacity was operating in Texas, more than any other US state. The Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center, spread across a vast area of West Texas, is the largest in the world. Through three stages of development it has reached a total installed capacity of 735 Megawatts (MW), with 421 individual wind turbines. On average, it can supply enough electricity for 180,000 Texan homes.

The wind farm has helped boost employment in West Texas, which was in economic decline until the wind industry arrived. In Nolan County, where many of the Horse Hollow turbines are located, the oil wells began to dry up in the 1990s, and by 2004, 20% of the population was living in poverty, according to the US Census Bureau.

Wind power has offered a new lease of life to the area. A study by the community-based West Texas Wind Energy Consortium found that over 1,100 of Nolan County's roughly 15,000 residents now have jobs directly related to wind energy. Wind energy has also benefited the county in other ways: With more wind farms coming into operation, Nolan County's property tax base has already expanded from $500 million in 1999 to $2.4 billion in 2008. The increased tax revenues are being spent on new roads and school renovations. Wind power is growing rapidly in Texas, and at least one new project there may surpass Horse Hollow in size in 2009.

Overall in the US, around 85,000 people are employed in the wind industry today, which represents a 70% increase from 50,000 a year ago. They hold jobs in areas as varied as turbine component manufacturing, construction and installation of wind turbines, wind turbine operations and maintenance, legal and marketing services, and more. Last year alone, 55 new wind industry facilities opened, expanded or were announced in the US.

Last year the US installed a world record capacity of wind power - 8,300 MW. "The US wind energy industry's performance in 2008 confirms that wind is an economic and job creation dynamo," says Denise Bode, Chief Executive of the American Wind Energy Association, "ready to deliver on the President's call to double renewable energy production in three years."

Wind energy is flourishing in the United States as a result of both national and state incentives--. In Texas, a Renewables Portfolio Standard (also referred to as Renewable Electricity Standard) stipulates that that 5,800 MW of the state's electricity generation capacity must use renewable sources (mainly wind) by 2015. At the national level, the recent relative stability of the federal production tax credit helped spur dramatic growth across the U.S.

What is needed now is a national Renewable Electricity Standard to create a long-term, stable market for capital investment in wind power and other renewable energy sources. A study by the US Department of Energy concludes that 20% of the country's electricity could come from wind energy by 2030.

Read the full story here

See all the campaign pictures here

At Marienkoog, in North Friesland, dozens of local people have taken a share in their local wind farm and watched the turbines being constructed for the benefit of the neighbourhood.

When the older wind turbines at Marienkoog were replaced by fewer more powerful models, people living nearby were offered a third of the shares in the ‘repowering' project. Altogether, in the Galmsbüll Bürgerwindpark (citizens' wind farm), of which Marienkoog is part, a total of 240 residents invested €5 million. This represented 40% of the district's adult population.

One result has been general acceptance of the new taller wind turbines in the landscape of this mainly farming region close to the North Sea coast. The local council also receives income from the business tax paid by the wind farm.

Last year, the seven Siemens 3.6 MW (Megawatt) turbines at Marienkoog produced more electricity than expected, generating a good return for the investors.

"We have a very strong relationship with the communities in North Friesland," says Jess Jessen, a farmer and one of the originators of the Marienkoog scheme. "If you have so many local people involved you get greater acceptance."

Projects like this have enabled Germany to maintain its position as one of the leading countries for the development of wind power. At the end of 2008 there was a total capacity of almost 24,000 MW in operation. The German Wind Energy Association says that more than twice as much - 55,000 MW - could be turning by 2020, supplying a quarter of the country's electricity demand every year.

Read the full story here

Se all the pictures from Wind Power Works here

Wind power is providing a vital service for Brazil's electricity supply system by balancing out periods when the country's hydro power plants are struggling to meet demand. 

Over 85% of the Brazilian demand for electricity is met by large hydroelectric power stations. In the dry season, however, storage capacity can drop dangerously low. Wind power can compensate for this because the wind is strongest at exactly the same time of year.

This is one of the main reasons behind the Brazilian government's PROINFA incentive programme for renewable energy. PROINFA (Programme of Incentives for Alternative Energy Sources) supports the construction of wind farms by offering long term contracts for their electricity output at a premium price.

The first large scale wind farm to be built under PROINFA was at Rio do Fogo in the north-east of Brazil. With a capacity of 49 MW, it was constructed and is operated by Enerbrasil, a subsidiary of the Spanish power company Iberdrola Renovables.

The Rio do Fogo wind farm not only helps Brazil's national power supply balance, but it also saves 37,000 of CO2 every year.

The national Eletrobras power utility, which administers the PROINFA programme, expects up to 1,200 MW of wind power capacity to be commissioned under the scheme. Operating wind capacity in Brazil at the end of 2008 was 342 MW, the largest of any Latin American country.

"There's a tremendous potential for wind power in Brazil," says Lauro Fiuza, President of the Brazilian Wind Energy Association, ABEEolioca. "It also works very well in partnership with the existing hydro capacity. Our expectations are very high for the future."

Rio do Fogo wind farm is the third in a series featured on the "Wind Power Works" website - www.windpowerworks.net - to emphasise the benefits that wind power brings around the world.

Wind power is providing a vital service for Brazil's electricity supply system by balancing out periods when the country's hydro power plants are struggling to meet demand.

Over 85% of the Brazilian demand for electricity is met by large hydroelectric power stations. In the dry season, however, storage capacity can drop dangerously low. Wind power can compensate for this because the wind is strongest at exactly the same time of year.

This is one of the main reasons behind the Brazilian government's PROINFA incentive programme for renewable energy. PROINFA (Programme of Incentives for Alternative Energy Sources) supports the construction of wind farms by offering long term contracts for their electricity output at a premium price.

The first large scale wind farm to be built under PROINFA was at Rio do Fogo in the north-east of Brazil. With a capacity of 49 MW, it was constructed and is operated by Enerbrasil, a subsidiary of the Spanish power company Iberdrola Renovables.

The Rio do Fogo wind farm not only helps Brazil's national power supply balance, but it also saves 37,000 of CO2 every year.

The national Eletrobras power utility, which administers the PROINFA programme, expects up to 1,200 MW of wind power capacity to be commissioned under the scheme. Operating wind capacity in Brazil at the end of 2008 was 342 MW, the largest of any Latin American country.

"There's a tremendous potential for wind power in Brazil," says Lauro Fiuza, President of the Brazilian Wind Energy Association, ABEEolioca. "It also works very well in partnership with the existing hydro capacity. Our expectations are very high for the future."

Rio do Fogo wind farm is the third in a series featured on the "Wind Power Works" website - www.windpowerworks.net - to emphasise the benefits that wind power brings around the world.

In Weekendavisen’s article “The Green Fairytale”, published September 25th, DONG’s newest offshore wind park is described as part of a dense system in which an increasing amount of wind power, heavily subsidised by Danish consumers, is given away for free to Norway and Sweden. Luckily this is completely wrong. The article is based on Hugh Sharman’s and CEPOS’s analysis which has no substance.

By
Ture Falbe-Hansen
Chief Advisor
Danish Energy Agency

In 2008 wind turbines contributed with 18.3 percent of the Danish electricity supply. It’s misleading when Sharman claims that we use maximum half of the electricity our selves because a big amount of the wind power is exported. In reality part of the wind energy is ‘stored up’ in Norwegian and Swedish hydro-electric reservoirs and returned to the Danish consumers at other times. The Nordic electricity trade benefits all electricity consumers in Northern Europe.     

Wind power is exported at market prices in line with all other forms of electricity and the revenue from the electricity trade is shared between Denmark and the recipient country. The average selling price for wind generated electricity was 0.04 to 0.07 DKr./kWh less than the selling price on electricity generated by centre and local cogeneration plants in the period 2005-2007. Consider this to be the price of storing wind power at the Nordic hydro-electric plants. That we would be giving the electricity away is a misapprehension.

Danish electricity consumers have supported wind power with an average of 1.3 bill DKr. a year from 2005-2008 corresponding to 0.035 DKr./kWh. For a household with an electricity consumption of 3.500 kWh this has meant an extra cost of 120 DKr. (≈ $24) a year – two or three times less than Weekensavisen claims using Sharman as source.

At the same time both Weekendavisen as well as Sharman and CEPOS fail to see the fact that Denmark has an EU obligation to increase the share of renewable energy to 30 percent by 2020 due to both the climate and security of supply. Among the most cost effective means to fulfil this commitment are wind power and biomass at the cogeneration plants. Thus, if Sharman and CEPOS intent to shield the consumer from expenses the message should be more and not less wind power.