The Future of Wind Power: Perspectives on Global Wind

[kristopher]

The Future of Wind Power: Perspectives on Global Wind

A survey of our readers across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa explores how they view the future of wind power. Quizzed on issues related to policy, costs, public perception, threat from non-renewable 'carbon-free' technologies, potential markets, and more, the responses reveal much about the industry perceptions of future across more than sixty countries.

A lack of policy leadership is still the most important single factor holding back the development of the wind industry in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, according to a recent survey of more than 1000 readers of Renewable Energy World magazine from throughout (greater) Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. The group also identified the current high prices for conventional electric power and gas as key drivers behind the growth in wind power.

Poor policy leadership was cited by respondents as the single largest barrier faced by the wind industry – despite the fact that many of those replying came from EU countries which are subject to renewables targets. Both EU member countries and those replying from nations with no similar renewable energy targets, such as Algeria and Libya, believe that national governments are doing too little to encourage the development of wind power, suggesting that even where targets have been set they are viewed as inadequate by renewable energy experts. Some 63% of the respondents are directly involved in the wind sector. Of that group, over a quarter are project developers, while others work with utilities, own or operate wind farms, or are involved in turbine manufacture or R&D.


Figure 1. Is the promise of carbon capture and storage a threat to further development of the wind industry?

Almost as crucial to the future development of the wind sector are grid access and site availability, factors perceived by respondents as holding up the wind industry both in their own countries and across the board, one respondent even describing these as ‘draconian planning rules in many European and other countries worldwide.’ Succinctly put, another said that ‘wind power will only be accepted as a mainstream supply when … its connectivity to the grid is resolved.’ Indeed, neither the cost of building wind farms, perceived or real, nor the availability of wind as a resource were seen as key reasons for progress in the wind energy sector to be held back...

Full article at: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/magazine/story?id=54342