Windpowercouldreach2,000GWby2030andsupplyupto17%-19% ofglobalelectricity, accordingtoareportbytheGlobalWindEnergyCouncil (GWEC) andGreenpeaceInternational. Infact, thestudyshowsthatwindpowercouldprovide25%-30% ofglobalelectricitysupplyby2050.
Thenewreport, "GlobalWindEnergyOutlook2014,"presentsthreevisionsofthefutureoftheglobalwindenergyindustryoutto2020, 2030andupto2050. ThescenarioscomparetheInternationalEnergyAgency'scentralscenariofromitsWorldEnergyOutlookwitha"moderate"and"advanced"scenariodevelopedespeciallyforthisreport, detailinghowtheglobalwindindustrymightdeliverintermsofglobalelectricitysupply, CO2emissionsavings, employment, costreductionsandinvestment.
"Windpowerhasbecometheleast-costoptionwhenaddingnewcapacitytothegridinanincreasingnumberofmarkets, andpricescontinuetofall,"explainsSteveSawyer, CEOatGWEC. "GiventheurgencytocutdownCO2emissionsandcontinuedrelianceonimportedfossilfuels, windpower'spivotalroleintheworld'sfutureenergysupplyisassured."
Thereportnotesthatthepowersectorisresponsibleformorethan40% ofallcarbon-dioxideemissionsfromburningfossilfuelsandabout25% oftotalgreenhouse-gasemissions.
Ifglobalemissionsaretopeakanddeclineinthisdecade - asthescienceshowsisnecessaryinordertomeetclimateprotectiongoals - onefocushastobethepowersector, notesGWEC.
Windpower'sscalabilityanditsspeedofdeploymentmakesitanidealtechnologytobringabouttheearlyemissionsreductionswhicharerequiredifwearetokeepthewindowopenformaintainingglobalmeantemperatureriseat2° Corlessabovepre-industriallevels.
"By2020, windpowercouldpreventmorethan1billiontonsofcarbondioxidefrombeingemittedeachyearbydirtyenergy - equivalenttotheemissionsofGermanyandItalycombined,"saysSvenTeske, Greenpeaceseniorenergyexpert. "Policymakersneedtoprovideeconomicincentivesandalsoleadershipiftheyaretoachieveacredibleinternationalclimateagreementatnextyear'ssummitinParis."
AccordingtoGWEC, globalwindenergyinstallationstotaled318GWattheendoflastyear. Anadditional45GWisexpectedbytheendofthisyear, notesGWEC.