Germany, the UK, Spain and France will install the most wind power capacity between 2011 and 2020 in Europe, new statistics show. Up until 2011, 15% of new capacity will be installed in Germany, 14% in the UK, 13% in Spain and 12% in France.
These statistics, contained in the European Wind Energy Association’s Pure Power report, show a more diverse picture than the early days of modern wind power which saw Denmark, Germany and Spain with a clear wind power lead over the rest of Europe.
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While the US experienced a significant dip in new installed wind power capacity last year due to the ongoing financial crisis, polarised politics and concerns over federal tax incentives, the industry has robustly bounced back, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) reports.
Not only that, but wind energy is now more affordable than ever as new installations are saving customers money on their electric bills while utilities rush to lock in long-term favourable rates.
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China is continuing to put increased emphasis on its expanding domestic wind power sector to help provide ever-increasing amounts of emissions-free electricity.
The latest evidence of China’s unrelenting faith in wind power comes in a report that predicts the rapidly-developing Asian nation could have 1,000 GW of installed wind power capacity by 2050.
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A leading German newspaper, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), has reported on a leaked European Commission document on energy futures for 2050, saying that the European Commission’s calculations could be questionable.
In the leaked document – containing seven energy scenarios for 2050 – only the ‘high renewable energy’ scenario shows electricity prices to rise after 2030. In all the other scenarios electricity prices decrease after 2030.
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By Susanne Nies, EURELECTRIC
Renewables will play an increasingly important role in the electricity mix, with their share more than doubling over the next ten years. Indeed, the EU’s goal of reaching 20% renewable energy by 2020 implies that almost 35% of electricity will need to be generated from renewable energy sources (RES).
The take-off of RES is a key investment opportunity. But it also poses unique challenges: variable renewables will have a profound, transformative effect on the electricity system as a whole.
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