The report also highlights that thirteen key countries around
the worldcan play a leadership role to help unlock the major market
deploymentenvisaged by this industry blueprint: Australia, Brazil,
Canada, China,France, India, Italy, Japan, the Philippines, Poland,
Turkey, the UKand the USA. These markets are at an early but
developing stage, andprovide an insight into where major wind
growth may be achieved.
"Wind energy has a huge role to play in our energy future and
incombating climate change. It is already one of the fastest
growingenergy sectors in the world. G8 nations must encourage and
support windpower developments worldwide to ensure that we can curb
greenhouse gasemissions," said Sven Teske, of Greenpeace
International.
Today, wind power installed in Europe is saving over 50 million
tonnesof CO2 a year and on track by 2010 to deliver one third of
the EU'sKyoto commitment. In the report, the value of the global
marketfor wind turbines is to move from the current €8 billion to
an € 80billion annual business by 2020. Wind power is one of the
mosteffective power technologies that is ready today for global
deploymenton the requisite scale, and can be installed far quicker
than otherconventional power stations.
"Wind power is one of the few energy supply technologies that is
readyfor a broader roll out today; wind has the maturity, clout and
globalmuscle to deliver deep cuts in CO2, while providing a hedge
againstfluctuating fossil fuel prices and reduce energy import
dependence",said Corin Millais, of the Global Wind Energy Council.
"The globalenergy challenge of our time is not only to tackle
climate change, butto meet the rising demand for energy and to
safeguard security ofenergy supplies. As a power technology which
can meet these threechallenges, wind energy is a leading
candidate."
Wind energy is a significant resource; it is safe, clean, and
abundant.Unlike conventional fuels, wind energy is an indigenous
supplypermanently available in virtually every nation in the
world,delivering energy security benefits of avoided fuel costs,
eliminatinglong term fuel price risk, and avoids the economic,
political andsupply risks of dependence on imports from other
countries.
With no intervention, the International Energy Association
(IEA)estimates that, under current trends, the world's electricity
demandcould double from 2002 to 2030, accounting for 60% of new
investment inenergy supply by then. The global power sector
requires 4,800GW -2,000GW of this in the OECD - of new capacity to
meet increasing demandand replacing aging infrastructure, at a cost
of €10,000 billion inpower generation, transmission and
distribution. By 2030, the powersector could account for 45% of
global carbon emissions. The investmentchoices made now will
determine the level of emissions of carbondioxide for many
decades.
Other contacts: Corin Millais, EWEA CEO, +32 499 25 25 37Sven Teske, Greenpeace International renewable energy campaign, + 31 6 212 96 8 94Luisa Colasimone, EWEA Communication Director, +32 485 145 411Cecilia Goin, Greenpeace International media officer, + 31 6 212 96 908A copy of the Wind Force 12 report can be downloaded at: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/reports/windforce-12-2005www.gwec.net; www.ewea.org
Notes: (1). The International Climate Change Task Force convened by Tony Blair and the European Council see climate change as "probably, long-term the single most important issue we face as a global community". For this reason climate change will be a priority during the UK's G8 Presidency this year, along with Africa." (www.g8.gov.uk )In January, the report 'Meeting the climate challenge' - Recommendations of the International Climate Change Task Force concluded that "a long term objective be established to prevent global average temperature from rising more than 2OC above the pre-industrial level";"G8 Governments establish national renewable portfolio standards to generate at least 25% of electricity from renewable energy sources by 2025, with higher targets needed for some G8 Governments";"Governments remove barriers to and increase investment in renewable energy and energy efficient technologies and practice such measures as the phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies"(2). The European Commission report Action on Climate Change post 2012 published in February this year stated that "Renewable energies will have to play a much larger role in the future". The 2004 European Environment Agency (EEA) assessment on greenhouse gas emission trends in Europe concluded that "the promotion of renewable energy has the greatest impact on emissions in most EU Member States for both implemented and planned policies".(3). "Wind Force 12, a blueprint to achieve 12% of the world's electricity from wind power by 2020". This report is the main global wind energy assessment. It has been conducted since 1999 by EWEA (the European Wind Energy Association) and Greenpeace International. The 2005 report has been completed by Greenpeace and EWEA on behalf of the GWEC - the Global Wind Energy Council.
Exp. contact date: 2005-07-06 00:00:00