EWEA Blog

Vestas launch campaign to push back at truth-distorting anti-wind lobby

Chris Rose — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:11:46 +0000

Vestas, one of the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturers, as well as Greenpeace and other environmental groups, have launched a campaign to push back at a virulent anti-wind lobby that continually distorts the truth about the electricity-generating technology in Australia. “The wind industry is being challenged by an anti-wind lobby that often disregards factual information,” [...]

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Global wind day photo competition winners ready for their close-up

Zoë Casey — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:13:34 +0000

Wind energy at work is the theme that united all winners of this year’s Global Wind Day photo competition. From a turbine tower being lowered into place to turbines set in agricultural backgrounds juxtaposed harmoniously with nature all around, this year’s photos show the beauty and the working reality of wind power. “In 2005 during [...]

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Wind energy in cold climates to increase by 72%

Philippa Jones — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:22:15 +0000

There is huge potential for wind energy in the coldest regions of the globe, a new report from the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland suggests. The VTT cites the latest forecasts, which show that between 45 and 50 gigawatts of wind energy will be built in cold climates by 2017. This would mean an [...]

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Turks of all ages united by Global Wind Day

Sarah Azau — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 10:15:16 +0000

There was a party atmosphere on 14 June in the Turkish capital, as parents, children, wind energy representatives and government officials came together for wind energy. They were attending the opening ceremony of the exhibition of paintings and photos organised by the Turkish Wind Energy Association (TWEA) for Global Wind Day on 15 June. Children [...]

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Global Wind Day is this Saturday!

EWEA Intern — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:23:09 +0000

By Jessica Anania The countdown to Global Wind Day marks more than just a wait for a fun-filled day spent outside discovering wind energy. It is also a chance for the public, politicians, and industry officials to discuss wind energy and its benefits, sharing ideas, exchanging opinions, and deepening their knowledge and understanding along the [...]

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Phase out fossil fuel subsidies and limit use of coal-fired plants, IEA says

Chris Rose — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 09:24:57 +0000

The world is not on track to reach its goal of limiting global temperature increase to 2°C, warned the International Energy Agency (IEA) on Monday. Highlighting the need for intensive action in the energy sector before 2020, the IEA noted that the energy sector accounts for about two-thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions from burning [...]

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Low wind technology key to success in Thailand

Guest Blogger — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:08:07 +0000

With Global Wind Day 2013 taking place this weekend, we’re continuing the ‘wind energy stories’ series as Robert van Waarden travels to Thailand to explore low-wind solutions. “I know that 70% of the area in the world has a low wind speed. I thought, if we want to promote the wind machine, 70% is a [...]

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From India to Greece, the pace is picking up for Global Wind Day

EWEA Intern — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:03:11 +0000

By Jessica Anania On 15 June, thousands of people will gather at over 200 events across the globe to discover wind energy as part of Global Wind Day. Global Wind Day offers both wind energy enthusiasts and novices opportunities to visit wind farms, discover the technology and its benefits and to have fun at one [...]

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WWF calls for massive investment in renewables

Philippa Jones — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 13:38:38 +0000

Government and financial institutions around the world must pledge to invest at least US$40 billion (€30.6 billion) in renewable energy over the next 12 months as a way of fighting climate change, according to a campaign launched this week by the environmental NGO the WWF. “We are running out of time,” says Jim Leape, director [...]

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Wind farms don’t need fossil fuel back-up

Zoë Casey — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 12:30:41 +0000

Wind energy doesn’t usually see much support from UK newspaper the Daily Telegraph, but this weekend the paper published a story based on National Grid (the UK’s electricity grid operator) evidence proving that wind farms do not need fossil fuel back-up for when the weather is calm. “The National Grid has studied what actually happens [...]

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UK should back EU-wide renewable energy target

Zoë Casey — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 14:43:29 +0000

The UK government will vote today on the ‘Energy Bill’ – measures to decide how the UK will structure its energy sector in the future, including a possible 2030 decarbonisation target. The target has been backed by an alliance of 55 energy companies, trade unions, environmental and faith groups – including SSE, RES, Vestas, EDP, [...]

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Global Wind Day 2013 – what is it all about?

Zoë Casey — Fri, 31 May 2013 11:14:04 +0000

Global Wind Day – you may have heard of it, or you may be one of the 21,000 people who have “liked” Global Wind Day’s facebook page, but what is it all about? It’s a day for taking the energy debate – switching to renewables from fossil fuels, supporting wind power – out of the [...]

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Wind power in Africa to increase ten times over

Chris Rose — Thu, 30 May 2013 10:09:12 +0000

Wind power in Africa is likely to experience a huge boost in installed capacity over the next few years, according to an African Development Bank (AfDB) study. While wind power on the continent currently makes up only 1% of total electricity, or 1 GW, there is an additional 10.5 GW in the pipeline, the study, [...]

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Polish offshore wind energy worth €17.5 billion by 2025

Zoë Casey — Wed, 29 May 2013 13:18:54 +0000

Poland could be adding €17.5 billion (PLN 73.8 billion) to its economy by 2025 if it develops its offshore wind energy sector to a potential six gigawatts, a new report by Ernst & Young has revealed. The report, “offshore wind energy – analysis of benefits for the Polish economy and development determinants”, also said that [...]

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Orthodox community embraces renewable energy in the Czech Republic

Guest Blogger — Tue, 28 May 2013 10:23:40 +0000

Global Wind Day on 15 June – the annual day for discovering wind power – is fast approaching. Continuing with the “wind energy stories” series Robert van Waarden, photographer and wind energy enthusiast, travels to the Czech Republic to uncover the personal stories behind wind energy. High on a wind turbine, hidden amongst the cherry [...]

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No link between wind turbines and adverse health effects

Zoë Casey — Mon, 27 May 2013 08:04:16 +0000

Belgium’s supreme health council (Conseil Supérieur de la Santé, CSS) – a scientific body which advises the government – has called for a “reflection” on the development of wind energy, citing apparent health concerns. The CSS would do well to note that an increasing body of evidence exists showing that there is no link between [...]

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Meet a Canadian writer who believes in telling the wind power story

Zoë Casey — Fri, 24 May 2013 08:05:47 +0000

Continuing with the series of “wind energy stories” from around the world, in association with Global Wind Day, Chris Rose from Vancouver speaks with fellow Canadian Chris Forrest. As a student in Ottawa, Chris Forrest admits he was a bit of a “class clown” interested in writing, music and other creative pursuits. Maths and science [...]

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Rising energy dependency endangers Europe’s economy

Zoë Casey — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:43:08 +0000

The issue of energy may have been overshadowed by that of tax at yesterday’s EU summit of Heads of State in Brussels, but its growing importance and impact on Europe’s economy is one that cannot be ignored. As the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, Europeans are paying a lot for their energy – prices are [...]

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EWEA CEO: wind energy needs the clout of gas, coal and nuclear

Sarah Azau — Wed, 22 May 2013 09:07:44 +0000

“Gas, coal and nuclear have more political clout than the wind industry”, and the industry has to take a “more visible place in the political landscape.” So writes EWEA’s new CEO Thomas Becker in the latest Wind Directions. “The big boys did not see nice ‘alternative’ wind as a threat. Now they do. As old [...]

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A little wind power goes a long way

Guest Blogger — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:43:39 +0000

By Fran Witt, Renewable World One kilowatt may not seem like a lot – some heaters in the West use this much energy every hour. But in Songambele, Tanzania, comparatively little energy is going a long way. Renewable World, the UK based charity who work to provide renewable energy to remote communities in the developing [...]

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French and German ministers call for 2030 renewable energy targets

Philippa Jones — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:40:20 +0000

Writing in France’s prestigious centre-left daily newspaper Le Monde, Peter Altmaier, the German environment minister, and Delphine Batho, his French counterpart, underlined the need for a 2030 renewable energy target and highlighed the importance of renewables in transforming the European economy, improving energy security and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. “We want to make the energy [...]

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Last chance to win €100 Amazon voucher for quick survey!

Zoë Casey — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:12:28 +0000

Would you like to see a greater variety of stories and/or authors on the EWEA blog? Or do you think the blog’s appearance could be improved? Tell us what you think – both good and bad – about the EWEA blog, and we’ll enter you into the draw to win a €100 Amazon voucher! Click [...]

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Tell a G8 leader to switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy

Tom Rowe — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:01:41 +0000

The global temperature is rising. Freak weather events are multiplying. Climate change is happening. And yet governments are giving $6 to polluting fossil fuels for every $1 dollar that goes to clean renewables. World leaders must move now to renewable, clean energy sources like wind energy. And with the new Global Wind Day app you [...]

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“We would be very keen to have 2030 targets” – Irish EU ambassador

Tom Rowe — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:18:03 +0000

Irish Ambassador to the European Union Tom Hanney is in the throes of a six month stint at the heart of decision making in Brussels, as Ireland currently holds the EU Presidency. The Deputy Permanent Representative says holding the Presidency is “a marathon, from January to June”. We met him to find out about Irish [...]

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Seventy seven percent of Austrians favour wind power

Zoë Casey — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:06:54 +0000

A new opinion poll conducted in Austria has found that 77% of Austrians are in favour of wind energy compared to just 4% in favour of fossil fuels and 1% for nuclear power. The poll, published on 8 May by the Austrian Wind Energy Association, IG Windkraft, also found that Austrian’s are prepared to pay [...]

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Three mayors, three communities, one wind

Tom Rowe — Thu, 09 May 2013 07:00:42 +0000

In association with Global Wind Day, photographer Robert van Waarden travels to three different communities in Romania that have been inspired by wind energy. Read their stories below, and think about submitting your own wind energy inspired story and photo to the Global Wind Day 2013 photo competition which closes on 12 May! Roşu [...]

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“Companies are betting that government climate policies will fail” – The Economist

Chris Rose — Wed, 08 May 2013 09:34:40 +0000

The reason fossil fuel firms are not trying to reduce their carbon emissions could be due to uncertainty on climate and energy policy, suggests the Economist in a recent editorial. The paper cites cuts in renewable energy support schemes as one of the elements influencing investors. “Companies are betting that government climate policies will fail.” [...]

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Wind energy will help Europe’s economy set sail again

Thomas Becker — Mon, 06 May 2013 15:48:12 +0000

The 1 May celebrations in Europe last week were tainted by historically high unemployment levels, a miserable macroeconomic outlook and a battered climate and energy policy. The challenges facing Europe’s economy are many. But it is beyond doubt that a thorough modernisation of our energy supply remains an important part of the solution. Every single [...]

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Netherlands sets out plans for 6,000 MW onshore wind

Philippa Jones — Mon, 06 May 2013 10:44:39 +0000

The Dutch government recently published its draft plans aimed at better managing the growth of onshore wind power in the country to the satisfaction of the Dutch Wind Energy Association (NWEA). The plan sets out how at least 6,000 megawatts of onshore wind power can be installed in the Netherlands in the coming years. New [...]

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EWEA CEO: BusinessEurope “on another planet” on energy policy

Thomas Becker — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:32:14 +0000

Commenting on the call from BusinessEurope Director General Markus J Beyrer on EU energy policy, European Wind Energy Association CEO Thomas Becker had this to say; It sounds a little old fashioned when BusinessEurope claims that fighting climate change is not compatible with cost-competitiveness and security of supply. What have they been doing for the [...]

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Coal’s hidden health costs: 40 billion euros a year

Chris Rose — Fri, 03 May 2013 10:37:32 +0000

Coal-fired power stations cost the European Union up to €42.8 billion a year in health costs associated with coal-fired power stations, a new report says. The study — ‘The Unpaid Health Bill: How coal power plants make us sick’ — also found that EU-wide impacts amount to more than 18,200 premature deaths, about 8,500 new [...]

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Wiping the slate green

Guest Blogger — Thu, 02 May 2013 11:35:26 +0000

This week, as part of the Global Wind Day wind energy stories series, photographer Robert van Waarden takes readers to the UK’s first wind farm in Cornwall. Delabole is famous for its hole in the ground. Well, to be more accurate, it is famous for its slate mine. The hole is visible from the backyard [...]

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IEA Chief Economist: governments “stealing money from the poor”

Sarah Azau — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:08:01 +0000

By subsidising fossil fuels, governments are “stealing money from the pockets of the poor, who would get money otherwise for schools and hospitals”. So says Fatih Birol, Chief Economist of the International Energy Agency, in the latest issue of Wind Directions. Fossil fuels get over half a trillion US dollars – six times more than [...]

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Cost of renewable energy is falling, reports say

Zoë Casey — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:19:30 +0000

Wind energy costs are falling and some companies involved in wind are seeing a rise in profits, according to evidence which has appeared in the world’s media this month. In Europe, insurance firm Allianz was quoted by Reuters as saying last week that “renewable energy production and infrastructure are gaining investor appeal as they become [...]

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A wind farm for all seasons – Estonian turbines inspire photographer

Guest Blogger — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 07:00:02 +0000

By Tuuliki Kasonen, Estonian Wind Power Association Janne Põlluaas is an Estonian woman who has had a passion for photography and nature since spending her childhood summers at a beach called Laulasmaa, a 30 minute drive from the Estonian capital, Tallinn. As a child Janne would sit with her father in the darkroom and watch [...]

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Wind power growth expected to slow in 2013, but recovery predicted

Philippa Jones — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:42:16 +0000

Strong markets in China, India and Brazil, and new markets in Latin America, Africa and much of Asia will drive growth in the wind industry over the next five years, according to a new report from the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), which warns that investment in Europe could falter if renewables policies fail to [...]

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Wind energy is bright light in an otherwise grim report

Chris Rose — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 09:45:22 +0000

The continued expansion of wind power, coupled with a decrease in costs for the emissions-free electricity-generating technology, was one of the few positive notes in a new International Energy Agency (IEA) report on efforts to create a low-carbon world. The IEA report, which was presented in India last week to the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM), [...]

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A hat-trick is the goal in the football and energy fields

Tom Rowe — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:53:17 +0000

Football fans know the value of a hat-trick – the triumvirate of goals that prove success for any striker. Though difficult to achieve, the hat-trick is worth striving for. The European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) also wants to score a hat-trick. Their new publication proposes three targets to drive EU energy policy after 2020: renewable [...]

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Keeping it safe – how do wind workers avoid danger?

Sarah Azau — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:33:28 +0000

While the wind industry will never face the equivalent of a Deepwater oil spill or a Fukushima nuclear catastrophe, its spectacular growth rates over the last decade do mean there are more health and safety hazards. An electrical fire can occur; heavy parts can fall from great heights; lifting huge unstable loads with cranes could [...]

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Massive wind power installations could help New York cast off fossil fuels

Chris Rose — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 09:24:31 +0000

Wind energy could play a major role in providing all the power needed for the entire state of New York by 2030, according to a new academic study. New York’s power demand for all sectors in 17 years time could be met, in part, by 4,020 onshore 5-megawatt wind turbines and 12,770 offshore 5-MW machines, [...]

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Future of shale gas challenging, cost of renewables falling

Zoë Casey — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:47:36 +0000

A report published by Citibank, a major international bank, has found that the future of shale gas in Europe is shrouded in uncertainties and the energy technology may not be as viable as had been previously claimed. The same report found that renewables will cost the same as conventional fuels (including gas) in many parts [...]

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EU climate policy in crisis after MEPs vote

Zoë Casey — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:05:33 +0000

Yesterday the European Parliament voted against a proposal to delay the auctioning of 900 million tonnes of carbon allowances in the EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) – a move proposed by the European Commission to rescue the ailing ‘cornerstone’ system of Europe’s climate legislation which puts a price on carbon emissions. As a result, the [...]

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Poland’s true wind energy potential is 13 GW by 2020

Guest Blogger — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 14:55:49 +0000

Poland is the biggest wind energy market in the EU’s newer Member States, but wobbles in government support have made investors nervous. We spoke to Ewa Kurdyła, Director of the Polish Wind Energy Association, to find out what’s going on… Poland’s National Renewable Energy Action Plan indicates that cumulative wind capacity should increase by an [...]

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Win a €100 Amazon voucher by telling us what you think of the EWEA blog!

Zoë Casey — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 14:35:29 +0000

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Wind dreams in Nepal

Guest Blogger — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 09:31:00 +0000

Continuing with the series of “wind energy stories” from around the world, in association with Global Wind Day, Robert van Waarden travels to Nepal to meet Amrit Singh Thapa in Kathmandu. Amrit points it out as we zoom past on his motorbike. If you look closely, past the Nokia sign, past the other motorbikes, over [...]

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80% of Irish people support wind power in Ireland

Guest Blogger — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 07:00:15 +0000

By Caitríona Diviney, Chief Operating Officer, Irish Wind Energy Association 80% of the Irish public support wind power, an opinion poll from Ipsos MRBI conducted on behalf of the Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA), the national wind energy association in Ireland, has revealed. This is a clear indication that there is widespread support for wind [...]

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Wind energy: empowering entrepreneurs in Africa

Guest Blogger — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 07:00:03 +0000

Last month the EWEA blog brought you the story of a small wind energy project in Tanzania and how it has helped to change the fortunes of some African farmers. Today, in this project update by Fran Witt from Renewable World, we look at how wind-powered electricity is connecting remote communities to the knowledge economy. [...]

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It’s time to step up the campaign for wind

Guest Blogger — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 09:36:33 +0000

In an editorial published by Recharge, Morten Albæk, Senior Vice-President of marketing at Vestas, argues that claims made by anti-wind campaigners can verge on the ridiculous, but they are powerful. Wind power, meanwhile, is not doing enough to promote its positive message… Birds are 19,200 times more likely to die from flying into a building [...]

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Is German offshore wind under threat?

Zoë Casey — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:57:30 +0000

Headlines in the German media have said recently that Germany’s offshore wind sector could be facing support cuts, on top of suffering from the already costly grid connection delays. So what is the future of German offshore wind power? We spoke to Andreas Wagner, CEO of the Offshore Wind Foundation (Stiftung Offshore-Windenergie) and part of [...]

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Turbine blade in Vienna city centre marks start of Austrian wind art contest

Guest Blogger — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:35:31 +0000

With Global Wind Day just over two months away, the Austrian Wind Energy Association has decided to place a mini wind turbine right in the centre of Vienna. Lukas Pawek, coordinator of Global Wind Day in Austria, explains why… This week the Austrian Wind Energy Association placed a small wind turbine in the centre [...]

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