by Lester Brown
For many years, a small handful of countries dominated growth in wind energy, but this is changing as the industry goes global, with over 70 countries now developing wind resources. Between 2000 and 2010, world wind electric generating capacity increased at a frenetic pace from 17,000 megawatts (MW) to nearly 200,000 MW.
Measured by the share of electricity supplied by wind, Denmark is the leading nation at 21%. Three north German states now get 40% or more of their electricity from wind. For Germany as a whole, the figure is 8% - and climbing. And in the state of Iowa, enough wind turbines came online in the last few years to produce up to 20% of that state's electricity.
In terms of sheer volume, the US leads the world with 35,000 MW of wind generating capacity, followed by China and Germany with 26,000 MW each.
Texas, long the leading U.S. oil-producing state, is now also the nation's leading generator of electricity from wind. It has 9,700 MW of wind capacity online, 370 MW more under construction, and a huge amount under development. If all of the wind farms projected for 2025 are completed, Texas will have 38,000 MW of wind - the equivalent of 38 coal plants. This would satisfy roughly 90% of the current residential electricity needs of the state's 25 million people.
In July 2010, ground was broken for the largest U.S. wind farm, the Alta Wind Energy Center (AWEC) in the Tehachapi Pass (75 miles north of Los Angeles, CA). At 1,550 MW, it will be part of a plan for 4,500 MW of renewable energy generation, enough to supply electricity to 3 million homes.
Since wind turbines occupy only 1% of the land covered by a wind farm, farmers and ranchers can continue to grow grain and graze cattle there. In effect, they double-crop their land, simultaneously harvesting electricity and wheat, corn, or cattle.
With no investment on their part, farmers and ranchers typically receive $3,000-$10,000 a year in royalties for each wind turbine on their land. For thousands of ranchers in the U.S. Great Plains, wind royalties will dwarf their net earnings from cattle sales.
In considering the energy productivity of land, wind turbines are in a class by themselves. For example, an acre of land in northern Iowa planted in corn can yield $1,000 worth of ethanol per year. That same acre used to site a wind turbine can produce $300,000 worth of electricity per year. This helps explain why investors find wind farms so attractive.
Wind Expansion in China
Impressive as U.S. wind energy growth is, the expansion now under way in China is even more so. China has enough onshore harnessable wind to raise its current electricity consumption 16-fold.
Today, most of China's 26,000 MW of wind capacity come from 50- to 100 MW wind farms. In addition to the many wind farms of that size that are on the way, China's new Wind Base program is creating seven wind mega-complexes of 10-38 GW each in six provinces (1 GW equals 1,000 MW). When completed, these complexes will have generate over 130 GW - the equivalent to building one new coal plant each week for two and a half years!
Of these 130 GW, 7 GW will be in the coastal waters of Jiangsu Province, one of China's most industrialized provinces. China is planning a total of 23 GW of offshore wind capacity. The first major offshore project, the 102 MW Donghai Bridge Wind Farm near Shanghai, is already in operation.
