The Greenpeace flagship, the Rainbow Warrior, begins the first leg of the 'Choose Positive Energy Tour' in a global journey to support the development of renewable energy around the world.
In the lead up to the Earth Summit in Johannesburg in August,
the Greenpeace flagship, the Rainbow Warrior, today began the first
leg of the "Choose Positive Energy Tour" - a global journey to
support the development of renewable energy around the world.
Offshore wind in the North Sea alone could supply over a third of
the electricity needs for countries bordering the North Sea within
a generation. Greenpeace is going to challenge governments and
industry to make this happen.
The Rainbow Warrior sailed today to Horns Rev, the world's
largest offshore wind park that is being built in Danish waters.
Another Greenpeace ship, the Arctic Sunrise, more often used in the
polar regions, will begin the second leg of the Choose Positive
Energy tour in South East Asia next month.
"During the coming weeks, as the world's leaders prepare to meet
in Johannesburg for the Earth Summit, Greenpeace will be conducting
this global tour with two ships to illustrate that renewable energy
is ready and able to replace dirty coal, oil, gas and nuclear power
- not only in the future, but today," said Greenpeace UK Executive
Director Stephen Tindale.
Offshore wind in the North Sea has the potential to produce
nearly twice the electricity needs of the North Sea countries.
Realizing only 20 percent of that potential would supply one third
of these countries' electricity.
"There needs to be a massive expansion of renewable energy
supplies in the northern industrialized countries to make renewable
energy cost-effective enough to take off in southern countries. We
are touring the North Sea because this is where the potential for
offshore wind energy is enormous," said Tindale.
"The North Sea is set to be the cradle of the global renewables
revolution," said Tindale.
Wind energy is competitive with coal and gas power generation
and clearly beats the more expensive nuclear power. This is one of
the main conclusions of 'Wind Force 12', a recent report produced
by Greenpeace and the European Wind Energy Association. The UK
government's energy review projected that wind energy will be the
cheapest energy source by 2020.
More than 4,700MW of wind power was installed onshore in the EU
last year - producing as much electricity as 2 large nuclear
reactors. By the end of this year, another 6,000MW will be added
and a further growth of 30-40% per year is expected. Despite the
strength of onshore wind developments, it is the offshore wind
industry that provides the greatest potential.
"Offshore wind is still facing political obstacles that need to
be removed - such as difficulties in accessing the electricity grid
in North Sea States," said Tindale, "With these obstacles removed,
the North Sea could become a real clean energy powerhouse for
Europe and the rest of the world".
Next month the Arctic Sunrise will begin the second leg of the
Choose Positive Energy tour in South East Asia. The ship will be
visiting the Philippines and Thailand where communities there are
rejecting dirty old-fashioned energy technology like coal fired
power stations, and demanding clean renewable energy fill the
growing demand in the region. Greenpeace is campaigning for
governments to make a commitment at the Johannesburg Earth Summit,
to provide renewable energy to the two billion people around the
world who currently live without electricity.
VVPR info: Greenpeace campaigners from the UK, Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany are available for interview on the board the Rainbow Warrior. For video footage or stills of the Rainbow Warrior at an offshore wind park in Denmark contact Erika Augustinsson.