Electricity from wind energy and other renewables is close to one-third cheaper than electricity from a new coal-fired plant, according to a US report published by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPRS) to the state legislature.
The report found that average costs over the life cycle of renewable energy systems equalled €69.5 per megawatt-hour (MWh) while the cost for a new coal fired power plant totalled €101 per MWh.
Christian Kjaer, EWEA CEO
The European Wind Energy Association is celebrating its 30 year anniversary in 2012. This is an organisation that has gone from humble beginnings when a small group of engineers in Stockholm in 1982 first discussed it, to now speaking for 700 members in almost 60 countries around the world. The growth of EWEA has mirrored the growth of the industry.
EWEA initially represented what was seen as an ‘alternative’ power source. It quickly became the voice of a multi-billion wind industry, one which employs hundreds of thousands of people in the EU and exports European technology around the world.
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A new report claims that the UK could meet its 2020 carbon reduction targets at a lower cost by building new nuclear plants and gas-fired power stations instead of wind farms, but the report has met strong criticism.
The study, published by AF Consult and picked up by the Sunday Times newspaper, says that opting for new nuclear and gas would be £45 billion (€54 billion) cheaper than wind farms, despite the fact that in reality new nuclear power plants take years to build and gas prices are pushing up energy prices. The UK government said recently that average bills rose by €537 between 2004 and 2011 and 64 % of that increase was down to rises in gas prices. Meanwhile, just 6.5% of the increase was attributed to support for renewable energy.
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From the unusual to the beautiful, hundreds of photos have already been submitted for the Global Wind Day photo competition. Below we display just a small snapshot of captivating images. Take a look, feel inspired and grab your camera – the competition is open until 6 May. Click here to enter!
By Nuno Serrão, from Funchal, Portugal
Annual statistics recently released by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) once again show the massive growth in cumulative wind power capacity in Asia, to 82,398 MW last year from 61,106 MW at the end of 2010.
When matched with Asia’s continuing population increases, the GWEC statistics seem to indicate that the region as a whole is well placed to incorporate even greater amounts of wind power into its grids in coming decades as the world replaces dirty carbon energy sources with green sustainable electricity.
