Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Improving Air Quality
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56
2018). Asia has been the largest regional market for wind power, with
China being the largest market within that (about 188 GW at the end of
2017). The USA is second in terms of wind generating capacity, with 89
GW at the end of 2017. Globally, more than 5% of electric power generation is from wind. At least 13 countries in Europe, Central America,
and South America met 10% or more of their electricity needs with wind
power during 2017 (Zervos, 2018).
Compared to solar power, the productivity of wind power is more
dependent on local conditions, but wind power is now the lowest- cost option
for new power- generating capacity in a large number of markets (Zervos,
2018). For example, a University of Texas Energy Institute report shows that
large parts of the Midwest United States have very suitable wind resources,
and wind- generated electricity is the lowest- cost alternative (Rhodes et al.,
2018). As the technology advances in wind- generated energy, the regions
where it is feasible can be expected to expand, and as costs continue to
decrease, wind power will become increasingly attractive. Thus, the technological progress in developing wind energy has significant value for society
with respect to meeting the goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and
improving air quality.
Approximately 96% of current wind power capacity is on land, but many
countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, China, and Belgium,
have also developed offshore wind power (Sawin et al., 2018). The wind
turbines are larger for offshore projects because they are not as constrained
by the size limits that often exist for land sites. In 2017, the average wind turbine size in Europe was 5.9 MW for offshore installations; some are rated as
high as 8 MW (Sawin et al., 2018) and several manufacturers have reported
plans to introduce 10 MW and larger wind turbines (Zervos, 2018). The first
offshore wind farm in the USA is off Block Island, Rhode Island, and the
developer, Deepwater Wind, has announced that the Block Island farm is
being purchased by Orsted, a Danish offshore wind company (ELP, 2018).
The initial price of electricity on this wind farm was $0.244/ kWh for this 30
MW project, which includes five wind turbines. While this price is relatively
high, it is competitive with the past cost of electricity on Block Island, where
fuel from petroleum sources has been used to generate electricity. In May
2018, Rhode Island announced that a 400 MW wind farm would be built by
Deepwater Wind further offshore from the completed Block Island project
(Kuffner, 2018).
The federal government has auctions to lease land for offshore wind sites
off the coasts of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, California, and other states.
There are plans for a large 800 MW project off the coast of Massachusetts. The
estimated price for the generated electricity there is $0.065/ kWh, which is
competitive with other alternatives (Vyse, 2018). At the end of 2017, 17 countries had offshore wind generating electricity; the United Kingdom had the
most offshore wind power capacity (at 6.8 GW). In 2017, the first commercial
floating project was commissioned in Scotland (Zervos, 2018).
56
56
2018). Asia has been the largest regional market for wind power, with
China being the largest market within that (about 188 GW at the end of
2017). The USA is second in terms of wind generating capacity, with 89
GW at the end of 2017. Globally, more than 5% of electric power generation is from wind. At least 13 countries in Europe, Central America,
and South America met 10% or more of their electricity needs with wind
power during 2017 (Zervos, 2018).
Compared to solar power, the productivity of wind power is more
dependent on local conditions, but wind power is now the lowest- cost option
for new power- generating capacity in a large number of markets (Zervos,
2018). For example, a University of Texas Energy Institute report shows that
large parts of the Midwest United States have very suitable wind resources,
and wind- generated electricity is the lowest- cost alternative (Rhodes et al.,
2018). As the technology advances in wind- generated energy, the regions
where it is feasible can be expected to expand, and as costs continue to
decrease, wind power will become increasingly attractive. Thus, the technological progress in developing wind energy has significant value for society
with respect to meeting the goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and
improving air quality.
Approximately 96% of current wind power capacity is on land, but many
countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, China, and Belgium,
have also developed offshore wind power (Sawin et al., 2018). The wind
turbines are larger for offshore projects because they are not as constrained
by the size limits that often exist for land sites. In 2017, the average wind turbine size in Europe was 5.9 MW for offshore installations; some are rated as
high as 8 MW (Sawin et al., 2018) and several manufacturers have reported
plans to introduce 10 MW and larger wind turbines (Zervos, 2018). The first
offshore wind farm in the USA is off Block Island, Rhode Island, and the
developer, Deepwater Wind, has announced that the Block Island farm is
being purchased by Orsted, a Danish offshore wind company (ELP, 2018).
The initial price of electricity on this wind farm was $0.244/ kWh for this 30
MW project, which includes five wind turbines. While this price is relatively
high, it is competitive with the past cost of electricity on Block Island, where
fuel from petroleum sources has been used to generate electricity. In May
2018, Rhode Island announced that a 400 MW wind farm would be built by
Deepwater Wind further offshore from the completed Block Island project
(Kuffner, 2018).
The federal government has auctions to lease land for offshore wind sites
off the coasts of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, California, and other states.
There are plans for a large 800 MW project off the coast of Massachusetts. The
estimated price for the generated electricity there is $0.065/ kWh, which is
competitive with other alternatives (Vyse, 2018). At the end of 2017, 17 countries had offshore wind generating electricity; the United Kingdom had the
most offshore wind power capacity (at 6.8 GW). In 2017, the first commercial
floating project was commissioned in Scotland (Zervos, 2018).