Global Wind Day 2012

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Global Wind Day 2012

Source:Globaltimes.cn Published: 2012-6-14 10:44:06

Wind energy. Photo: Xinhua

Editor's Note

Global Wind Day is a worldwide event that celebrated annually on June 15. It is a day for learning more about wind power and how it can be used to change the world.

Figure Speaks

According to the latest figures published by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), wind power worldwide has achieved 238,000,000 kilowatt-hours by the end of 2011, an increase of10 times in 10 years, people.com.cn reported on February 22, 2012.

Top 3 countries with greatest wind power generation (by 2011):

Rank	Country	Installed Capacity(kWh)
No.1	China	62,730,000
No.2	US	46,910,000
No.3	Germany	29,910,000

"Green" efforts

Asia
Developing Asia needs low carbon path to growth FACTBOX: New energy development in China S.Korea to inject 320 mln USD into renewable energy R&D in 2012
Europe
Interview: Environment improves in Italy but needs further action: Minister IEA urges decisive police action for shifting to clear energy through technology
Africa
Low cost technology fueling expansion of green energy UNEP says global transition to cleaner fuels accelerating
Middle East
Abu Dhabi's green city CEO awarded Champion of the Earth by UN
Americas
UN chief takes part in bike event to promote sustainable development

Top 9 wind farms

Top 9 wind farms in the world with largest installed capacity (kWh) (by 2011) (Photo:people.com.cn)


Wild Horse Wind Farm, US (230MW)	Tehachapi Pass Wind Farm(562MW)	"Trojan Horse" Wind Power, Texas, US (735MW)

Baron Wind Farm, UK (90MW)	Roscoe Wind Farm, Texas, US (335.5MW)	Middelgrunden Offshore Wind Farm, Denmark (40MW)

Maple Ridge Wind farm, New York, US(320MW)	Altamont Pass Wind Farm, California, US (576MW)	San Gorgonio Pass Wind Farm, California, US (359MW)

Innovations by wind


Tang Zhenping, a farmer living in Beijing, cleans an electric car he developed and manufactured in Beijing, capital of China, May 20, 2012. The electric car is powered by a built-in battery or a wind turbine at speeds up to 140 kilometers per hour. Photo: Xinhua	According to the Gizmag.com on February 15, Dirk Gion and Stefan Simmerer, a television host and an engineer from Germany have spent 18 days completing an almost 5,000 km journey across Australia in their Wind Explorer, a lightweight electric vehicle powered by the wind.

Viewpoints

Experts' View

China will soon start construction on its second installment of wind power projects for the 2011-2015 period. By 2015, China will have approximately 100 million KW of installed wind power capacity connected to its power grid and generate 190 billion kwh of electric power annually, according to the NEB's renewable energy development plan.

According to Liu Tienan, minister of the National Energy Bureau (NEB)

"We have tailor-made turbine models featuring larger blades and greater capacities for insulation, heat dissipation and lightening protection, in order to cope with harsher geographical and climate conditions in plateau areas,"

Wu Gang, board chairman of Xinjiang Goldwind Science and Technology Co. Ltd. (Goldwind), who supplied 33 units of 1.5MW permanent magnetic direct drive wind turbines for the construction of a 49.5-megawatt (MW) wind farm in Yunnan in 2011.

What's buzzing in Weibo-sphere

@警忠长鸣：Eenergy resources on Eearth could be used up one day. Natural resources such as wind and solar powers should be fully developed. Increased efforts on energy conservation and reduction of pollutant emissions are eagerly encouraged.

@梁皮皮鲁：The streetlights in Zhoushan city are utilized by wind and solar energies. Very nice!

@ Rosa小萌：Thanks for nature's generosity which makes us enjoy the convenience brought by solar, wind and wave energy.

@财经前瞻：The cost of solar and wind energy is too high to be promoted on a larger scale.

@赵孤帆远影：Now we think the consumption of petroleum and natural gas pollutes the environment. But how about wind power and solar energy? Every coin has two sides, probably because we haven't realized their negative sides to the environment.

Posted in: Green