Wind Energy: a key solution to Climate Change

Two years after the IPCC's 4th Assessment Report, recent scientific evidence shows an acceleration of climate change patterns: the first decade of this millennium was the hottest ever, ice caps are melting much quicker than anticipated and emission trends are following the worst of the IPCC scenarios, with dramatic implications.

Wind power is a key part of the solution. It plays a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and can be rapidly deployed.

Wind energy is already helping to fight climate change: each wind-produced kWh avoids a kWh created by the energy mix of coal, oil and gas - on average 666 gCO₂/kWh.

  • In 2009, the 75 GW of wind power in the EU avoided the emission of 106 million tonnes (Mt) of CO₂, equivalent to taking 25% of EU cars ? 53 million vehicles ? off the road. 
  • In 2020, a predicted 230 GW of installed wind power could avoid the emission of 333 Mt of CO₂. This is equivalent to 29% of the EU's 20% greenhouse gas reduction target for 2020. 

Following Copenhagen's failure, the UNFCCC process must reach a legally binding international treaty to keep temperatures under the 2°C rise. The EU and other industrialised countries should commit to cut greenhouse gas emissions by a minimum of 40% by 2020 compared to 1990. So as to regain leadership, the EU should already unilaterally move to 30% reduction.

For more information, please see EWEA documents and other links (this page - right column).

 

The Emission Trading System: putting a price on carbon emissions

The EU’s Emissions Trading System puts a cost on emitting CO₂. By auctioning permits to the power sector for emitting CO₂, major polluters have to pay for releasing greenhouse gases. It sends a clear message to investors: the cost of climate change, currently borne by society, will be increasingly shifted towards the polluter.


The initial phase of the EU Emission Trading System (2005-2007), did not function effectively: over-allocations resulted in billions of Euros in windfall profits and EU emissions have not been reduced.  The 2008 ETS reform plans for a real price of carbon post 2012 - through full auctioning in the power sector.

For more information, please see EWEA documents and other links (this page - right column).

 

Environment

Wind energy is one of the cleanest, most environmentally friendly energy sources. It has a long-term positive impact on our environment by reducing the threat posed by climate change – the single largest threat to biodiversity. It emits no greenhouse gases or air pollutants. It emits no particles which are carcinogenic and severely affect human health. It uses no water.

At the local level, wind energy can also have positive effects on biodiversity, and offers an opportunity to practice ecological restoration both onshore and offshore, such as creation of new vegetation and animal habitats, improved fish stocks and other marine life.

Potential local negative impacts are very limited, low in intensity and site-specific. They can be avoided and minimised by careful planning and sitting, mitigated or compensated. In fact, wind farm developers are required to undertake Environmental Impact Assessment to gauge all potential significant environmental effects before construction can start.
 
Despite this minimal impact, extensive efforts are also made to avoid sitting wind farms in sensitive areas i.e. migration routes, which might attract large numbers of birds.