Category Archives: OpEd

Wind energy industry could drive a quarter million American jobs by 2020 – end of Trump’s first term

American wind power expansion is poised to drive 248,000 jobs and $85 billion dollars in economic activity over the next four years, according to new analysis released today by Navigant Consulting. These and other economic benefits will result from the addition of 35,000 megawatts (MW) of new wind power capacity through 2020.   AWEA released an … Continue reading Wind energy industry could drive a quarter million American jobs by 2020 – end of Trump’s first term

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Iran and Middle East could adopt fully renewable electricity systems

Iran can transition to a fully renewable electricity system and financially benefit from it by 2030. Researchers at Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) show that major oil-producing countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region could turn their abundant renewable energy resources into lucrative business opportunities in less than two decades.   According … Continue reading Iran and Middle East could adopt fully renewable electricity systems

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Cooperation European Transmission System Operators to develop North Sea Wind Power Hub

TenneT TSO B.V. (Netherlands), Energinet.dk (Denmark) and TenneT TSO GmbH (Germany) will sign an trilateral agreement in Brussels on 23 March 2017 that will press ahead on developing a large renewable European electricity system in the North Sea. TenneT unveiled its vision of the North Sea Wind Power Hub in June 2016 . The close … Continue reading Cooperation European Transmission System Operators to develop North Sea Wind Power Hub

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AWEA’s Community Engagement Seminar series

Ask any wind farm developer, and they’ll tell you the most successful projects are in communities that want them. And a lot of communities do, as there are wind farms in 41 out of 50 states, supporting well-paying jobs and investing billions of dollars in rural communities. But how can we help ensure that happens? … Continue reading AWEA’s Community Engagement Seminar series

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Wind powers 5.5 percent of U.S. grid

All of the new wind farms built over the past few years are making an impact: new data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration finds the country generated more than 5.5 percent of its electricity using wind in 2016. That comes on the heels of a recent announcement that wind is now the country’s largest … Continue reading Wind powers 5.5 percent of U.S. grid

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Western University study says wind energy plans should generate more equitable benefits to neighbours

The more a community is involved in wind energy planning – including getting direct benefits from nearby turbines – the more likely it is that a development will have local support, says newly published research from Western University. The study by Chad Walker and Jamie Baxter of the Department of Geography examines communities living with … Continue reading Western University study says wind energy plans should generate more equitable benefits to neighbours

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One in six renewable energy jobs in Scotland at risk

Businesses working in the Scottish renewable energy sector are anticipating a sixth of their workforce will be lost within the next 12 months, a new industry survey has shown. Scottish Renewables polled its members on employment levels and confidence over the next year, with respondents predicting an average decrease in full-time equivalent posts in Scotland … Continue reading One in six renewable energy jobs in Scotland at risk

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Member States agree on general approach on post-2020 ETS reform

Member States proposed to strengthen the Market Stability Reserve, a facility designed to take excess carbon permits out of the market from 2019 onwards. The rate at which it will take permits out of the market would be doubled. And permits stored in the reserve would be cancelled if a certain threshold is reached. The … Continue reading Member States agree on general approach on post-2020 ETS reform

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The electricity grid relies on diversified sources

Over the last two years, a parade of Fortune 500 companies have made substantial wind power purchases, citing low cost and price stability as reasons why wind power is good for their bottom lines. However, some observers have recently misunderstood how these deals work. The electricity grid is like an ATM As we’ve previously explained, … Continue reading The electricity grid relies on diversified sources

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#iheartwind 2017 comes to a close

Thank you to everyone who participated in #iheartwind 2017! We saw a number of great responses and participation. Check out these numbers: Nearly 1,500 Twitter and Instagram posts tagged with #iheartwind A reach of over 1.8 million people Over 11 million impressions on Twitter and Instagram That’s a lot of people who love wind power! … Continue reading #iheartwind 2017 comes to a close

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Wind generates enough to cover Denmark’s entire power demand on Wednesday

Denmark produced 70 GWh from onshore wind and 27 GWh from offshore. That’s the equivalent of powering 10 million EU households. Germany was the second-best performing country meeting 52% of its demand from wind, followed by Ireland with 42%. Wind power in the EU as whole covered almost 19% of the bloc’s electricity needs. Take … Continue reading Wind generates enough to cover Denmark’s entire power demand on Wednesday

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What happens to a wind turbine at the end of its life?

Have you ever wondered what happens to a wind turbine at the end of its life? You might be curious – there’s more than 52,000 utility-scale wind turbines operating in the U.S. today, providing enough power for 24 million American homes every year. Let’s take a look. Durable, long-lasting machines Wind turbines have long life … Continue reading What happens to a wind turbine at the end of its life?

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The opportunities are limitless

Regular readers of our blog know we love to talk about the 500 U.S. factories that build wind-related parts. And how over 100,000 Americans work in wind, with over a quarter of these jobs in manufacturing. But what’s even better is when we get to attach real faces to these numbers. Blake Kasper, Quality Supervisor … Continue reading The opportunities are limitless

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Manufacturers call on European institutions to strengthen EU industrial strategy

92 trade associations have signed a Joint Declaration in the run-up to the Competitiveness Council calling on the EU to strengthen its industry strategy. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker marked the reindustrialisation of Europe as a priority to ensure the EU remains a competitive global power as other countries including China, India and the USA … Continue reading Manufacturers call on European institutions to strengthen EU industrial strategy

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Americans rally to support wind power

Hundreds of Americans from across the country traveled to Washington, D.C. to show their support for wind energy this week. AWEA CEO Tom Kiernan penned an op-ed in The Hill looking at why they decided to make the trek. Here are a few highlights: Some are part of America’s 100,000-strong wind energy workforce, or one … Continue reading Americans rally to support wind power

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European Parliament agrees on measures to reform ETS after 2020

The European Parliament has established a common position on reforms to the Emissions Trading System after 2020. Policymakers voted to strengthen the Market Stability Reserve, a facility designed to remove excess carbon permits from the market. They also agreed to cancel 800 million allowances from the reserve, which comes into force in 2019. However, MEPs … Continue reading European Parliament agrees on measures to reform ETS after 2020

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REthinking Energy 2017: Accelerating the global energy transformation

Renewable energy is a fundamental and growing part of the global energy transformation. Increasingly, renewables have become the first choice for expanding, upgrading and modernising power systems around the world. Click here to download REthinking Energy, the flagship report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), examines trends and developments in the global quest for … Continue reading REthinking Energy 2017: Accelerating the global energy transformation

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New record: plain states exceed 50 percent wind power

A region stretching from Montana to Texas set a new record this week, hitting a mark many considered impossible just a few years ago: wind supplied the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) with 52 percent of its electricity on Sunday. The SPP is a grid operator for parts of 14 states and manages over 60,000 miles … Continue reading New record: plain states exceed 50 percent wind power

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#iheartwind 2017: Let’s see what people are saying

Valentine’s Day 2017 marks the halfway point of this year’s #iheartwind campaign, so let’s take a look at why people are loving homegrown wind power. You still have 10 days to let the world know why wind energy matters to you! Fill out our sign and let us know on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using … Continue reading #iheartwind 2017: Let’s see what people are saying

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Wind in power: 2016 European statistics

Wind accounted for 51% of all new power installations in 2016, connecting a total of 12.5 GW to the grid across the 28 EU Member States – 10.923 MW in onshore and 1,567 MW offshore. Europe installed 12.5 GW of gross additional wind capacity in 2016. This was 3% less than the new installations in … Continue reading Wind in power: 2016 European statistics

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