Wind power in Turkey should benefit from a 72-point plan announced by the government that is designed to increase the nation’s competitiveness in global markets.

Turkey’s Industry and Commerce Minister Nihat Ergün announced the “Industry Strategy Document and Action Plan”, which includes the establishment of giant ports, logistics bases and railways, at a conference on Wednesday, according to the Anatolia News Agency.

“In an effort to improve energy efficiency, the plan foresees the establishment of methods to utilise the country’s potential in energy resources, including hydroelectricity, wind, geothermal, solar and biomass,” the story added. “The government will encourage the use of products that rely on alternative energy resources.”

In the frenzied lead up to the Christmas-New Year’s holiday season, some fascinating news about another potential benefit of wind power received little attention in the mainstream media.

A report out of Ames, Iowa suggests that wind turbines in farm fields may be helping crops of corn and soybeans to have increased yields because they can remain cooler and dryer in hot summer months while fighting off fungal infestations.

Preliminary findings of a months-long research program aimed at studying how wind turbines on farmlands interact with surrounding crops also raises the possibility that rotating turbine blades improve the ability of corn and soybeans to extract atmospheric CO₂, a needed “fuel” for crops, according to a press release.

By Justin Wilkes

All 27 National Renewable Energy Action Plans have now been submitted to the European Commission. We at EWEA have done an analysis of the plans.  As expected they show that the EU as a whole will exceed its target of 20% of energy from renewables by 2020.

Taking all 27 National Renewable Energy Action Plans together we see that EU countries expect to meet 20.7% of their energy consumption from renewables.

This would mean that 34% of all electricity in the EU in 2020 would come from renewables – 14% from wind energy alone: making wind Europe’s leading renewable energy source.