Wind Power Meeting Kyoto Commitments While Climate Negotiations Stall

While UN climate negotiations show no sign of significant progress, calculations from the European Wind Energy Association show that wind energy is achieving over a quarter of the emissions reductions required under the current Kyoto agreement. The recent UN climate negotiations in Bangkok “produced little more than the agenda for further negotiations,” according to the … Read more

Major Step Forward For European Power Grid Interconnection

The recent start-up of the grid interconnection between the UK and the Netherlands is a major step forward for a better interconnected electricity grid in Europe. The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) is a strong supporter of an integrated power grid in Europe and believes that the BritNed link, which has just gone live, is … Read more

New Legislation Needed Now to Meet EU 2050 Climate Commitment

The EU must put extra legislation in place in the lifetime of the current European Commission if it is to meet its commitment to cut domestic carbon emissions by 80-95% by 2050, the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) has warned. The European Commission recently released its ‘Roadmap to a low carbon society’ which outlined the … Read more

New Research Shows 20 MW Wind Turbines are Feasible

20 Megawatt wind turbines are feasible, according to a new report from the EU-funded UpWind project. The UpWind project explored the design limits of up-scaling wind turbines to 20 Megawatt (MW) and found that they would have rotor diameters of around 200 metres, compared to some 120 metres on today’s 5 MW turbines. Such turbines … Read more

EU Wind Sector Calls for Binding 2030 Target

The EU must adopt a binding renewable energy target for 2030 to secure long-term investment in renewable energy, according to the European Wind Energy Association. “The wind industry expects to invest some Eur400 billion in Europe between now and 2030,” says Arthouros Zervos, president of the European Wind Energy Association. “To do so it needs … Read more

Offshore and Eastern Europe New Growth Drivers for Wind Power

9.3 gigawatt (GW) of new wind power capacity was installed in the EU during 2010, reaching a total of 84 GW by the end of 2010, according European Wind Energy Association (EWEA). While offshore wind power installations grew 51% from 582 MW in 2009 to 883 MW last year, new onshore wind power installations (8.4 … Read more

Record 51% Growth For EU Offshore Wind Power in 2010

With 308 new offshore wind turbines installed in 2010 – an increase of 51% in installed wind power capacity on the previous year – offshore wind power experienced a new record growth in Europe. In total, 883 Megawatt (MW) of new capacity, worth some €2.6 billion, were installed in 2010 in nine wind farms in … Read more

EU to Exceed 20% Renewable Energy Goal by 2020

The EU 27 will exceed its target of meeting 20% of its gross final energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020, according to the European Wind Energy Association, following analysis of the National Renewable Energy Action Plans, submitted by the EU Member States to the European Commission. “Taken together the Action Plans show that the … Read more