Europe could build 11 million turbines
Europe has enough suitable onshore wind sites to meet the entire world’s electricity needs by mid-century, according to a new study.
Researchers from the University of Sussex in the UK and Aarhus University in Denmark analysed satellite data and geographical information system-based wind atlases to identify sites suitable for onshore-wind development.
They ruled out 54% of European territory with houses and roads, and areas restricted due to military and political reasons.
Installing more than 11 million additional turbines across 4,895,560km2 could boost Europe’s wind fleet by 52.5TW, they found — implying an average power rating of 4.77MW per turbine.
This would generate 138,056TWh of electricity per year — well above the 119.444TWh annual global energy demand expected by 2050.
However, the study, published in the Energy Policy, journal does not account for electrical infrastructure losses or changes in peak demands.
Co-author Benjamin Sovacool, professor of energy policy at the University of Sussex, said the study indicated the "potential of how much more can be done".
"Obviously, we are not saying that we should install turbines in all the identified sites, but the study does show the huge wind-power potential right across Europe, which needs to be harnessed if we’re to avert a climate catastrophe," he added.
Turkey, Russia and Norway were among the countries identified as having the best potential for high-density development, although large parts of western Europe also has good spots for installations.
Funeral for climate crisis victim
Iceland held a funeral for its first glacier lost to climate change in August.
About 100 people, including the country’s prime minister and climate researchers, hiked up the now-barren Okjökull glacier to hold the ceremony. They laid a plaque declaring it "the first Icelandic glacier to lose its status as a glacier", adding: "In the next 200 years all our glaciers are expected to follow the same path."
Okjökull was stripped of its glacier status in 2014. In 1901, the glacier ice covered 38km2, but today is less than 1km2, according to NASA.
US 2018 wind power figures and facts
41.9% Average capacity factor of US wind-power projects built in 2014-17
30.8% The average capacity factor in the same year for wind farms in the country installed in 2004-11, while the figure for projects built in 1998-2001 was 23.8%
2018 The first year in which the fleet-wide capacity factor reached 35%, with declining specific power ratings leading to "sizable increases" in capacity factor
230W/m2 Specific power rating of projects installed in 2018, down from 395W/m2 for those installed in 1998/99
Source: US Department of Energy, 2018 Wind Technologies Market Report
Qoute of the month
"He was Gandalf to a rag-tag fellowship of underdogs"
Greenpeace International, paying tribute to its former executive director and former GWEC general secretary Steve Sawyer, who passed away on 31 July, aged 63
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