(EUROPE)
The chief of a major European energy organisation will tell delegates at a conference in Prague today that wind power can be key to ‘decarbonising economies’.
Last year the continent’s wind energy sector attracted record-breaking levels of investment, and currently accounts for 10.4% of energy demand in the European Union. While globally wind power recently crossed the 500GW – mark of installed capacity.
The growing impact of this renewable energy source can see it – alongside clean hydrogen – be major contributors to decarbonising economies, Giles Dickson, CEO of WindEurope will tell stakeholders gathered for today’s Gas Infrastructure Europe conference.
“Wind energy has enjoyed three decades of growth and is now Europe’s second largest form of power generation. As capacity continues to expand, wind will play a vital role in decarbonising Europe’s economy. It is a key partner in the energy transition. For example it’s one of the main sources of clean hydrogen so will be key in driving up the supply of hydrogen for industrial applications and energy storage. Europe’s gas transmission infrastructure will play an important role in transporting these increased volumes of clean hydrogen. Wind can also help reduce the costs of offshore oil and gas through shared infrastructure and in the future via power to platform technology,” said Giles.
“But the contribution of wind goes beyond the power sector. Wind will play an increasingly influential role in the push to electrify heating, cooling and transport, boosting energy efficiency and reducing costs. A decarbonised economy powered by wind and other renewables is impossible without the electrification of these sectors. The potential is enormous: just one onshore turbine is capable of powering 3,000 electric vehicles. The EU’s Clean Energy Package needs to be strengthened on this front to speed up the decarbonisation of Europe’s economy.”
Wind energy is also playing a major role across the pond. Data released recently revealed wind and solar energy provided Americans with more than 10% of their electricity in March for the first time.
