Wind power did not just have outstanding growth in the US last year. This renewable energy success story was a worldwide phenomenon. Global wind capacity grew a record (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘wind power’
Record Global Wind Growth: Becomes Race Between US & China
Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009New York Becomes 8th State to Join 1 GW Wind Club
Monday, February 2nd, 2009
As I mentioned yesterday about solar — when you start talking GWs (gigawatts = 1 billion watts), we’re dealing with significant amounts of energy. And I’m proud to say that my home state of New York just became the 8th state in the country that has over 1 GW in wind power online. (more…)
Top Wind States Emerge from the Great Plains
Thursday, January 29th, 2009
The Great Plains have long been touted as an area of vast wind power potential. And I’m glad to report that the people living there are now beginning to take significant advantage of their renewable resource. North Dakota, the state with the most wind potential in the lower 48, just became the biggest wind producing state by percentage of electricity consumption at ~20.8%. (more…)
US Wind Power Growth to Slow in 2009, FPL Hints
Tuesday, October 28th, 2008It was just last week when I shared the great news of another record year for US wind power in 2008. The ~7 GW projected to come online this year is a huge feat all of us climate activists should celebrate. But the wind industry is not immune to the financial seizure gripping global markets. A leading US wind developer, Florida Power & Light (FPL), has given a first glimpse of the impact on wind’s growth for 2009. In the company’s third quarter report, FPL announced a 25% cut in 2009 capacity growth from their previous forecast.
They now plan to install 1.1 GW of wind turbines (rather than 1.4 GW), ~15% lower than this year’s 1.3 GW projection. Assuming all wind developers will follow FPL and also cut their additions by 15%, US wind capacity will grow by (more…)
New Report Projects Renewable Energy Dominance in 25 Years
Monday, October 27th, 2008Today, Greenpeace International and the European Renewable Energy Council released “Energy [r]evolution: A Sustainable Energy World Outlook.” It is a followup to their early 2007 report that urged policymakers to ramp up efficiency and renewable energy deployment to stop climate change. This report has more detail, as it breaks down the energy portfolios of each region of the world. It also gives updates on the tremendous growth of renewables in 2007 and adds sections connecting its scenario to greater energy security in the developing context of higher fossil fuel prices.
The report makes the case that their strategy would not only mitigate climate change and improve air quality, but it would also save consumers
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All Eyes on OPEC
Thursday, October 23rd, 2008Tomorrow in Vienna, OPEC will decide how much to cut their oil production in order to stop the rapid price fall since early July. OPEC produces almost 40% of the world’s oil and, more importantly, exports more than half of global trade in petroleum. Saudi Arabia largely holds the reins, since they produce and export more than twice the second largest OPEC player, Iran. Iran, Venezuela and Nigeria are estimated to need oil above $80 per barrel to provide enough revenue for their current natural budgets. While other members such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are thought to make ample revenue with prices as low as $55. OPEC remembers the collapse in oil’s price to below $10 after the 1998 Asian Financial Crisis and is determined to prevent a repeat performance during our current financial crisis. So, they are probably debating a cut between (more…)
3rd Quarter US Wind Report Shows Record in the Making
Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008As I mentioned in a mid-August blog, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) projects capacity growth in 2008 to surpass the dramatic record set in 2007. It’s nice to see AWEA’s third quarter report released today reaffirm this prediction even after September’s financial collapse.
AWEA reports 1.4 GW installed throughout the US during the third quarter, making the year-to-date additions sum to (more…)
Wind power can replace oil-fired electricity by end 2009
Tuesday, October 14th, 2008The US EIA just published its electric power monthly for this past June, and our country’s electricity was much more climate friendly than last year. Coal and oil-fired generation were down 1.6% and 10.6%, respectively. Cleaner burning natural gas generation was up 3.6% while carbon-free hydro and nuclear generation rose by 34.7% (on some relief from the drought out west) and 2%, respectively. And the number that caught my eye was the increase in wind generation at a rate of 81.6% from the previous June! If wind continues to grow at the June rate for the next year and a half, wind power will provide almost (more…)
Daily Recap: Wind accelerates in China, oil climbs to record & more
Thursday, June 26th, 2008First I want to talk about some good news: China is accomplishing its wind power goals ahead of schedule. After doubling their wind capacity each of the last two years, many predict another doubling in 2008 that brings the country close to 10 GW or into the top four countries in cumulative capacity. Just a few years ago, China set a 5 GW by 2010 goal. Having achieved that early, they doubled it to 10 GW. Now they are aiming for 100 GW by 2020. Even those goal posts may change if fossil energy prices remain high as many believe they will. In the larger energy picture, wind growth is still a small fraction of the enormous coal annual capacity growth which has hovered around 100 GW the last couple of years. But it remains a hopeful sign of progress toward the sustainable energy transition ahead. (more…)