40% wind power in 2050?

The latest report from the World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) sees a 40% wind power share as a long-term global goal, achievable even based on today’s available technologies.

‘Wind Energy 2050: On the Shape of Near 100% Renewable Energy Grid’, published by the WWEA technical committee, looks ahead to the year 2050, when near 100% renewable energy grids will be established. In this scenario, it demonstrates the potential for wind power to achieve high percentages of total grid supply.

“We are delighted to be able to demonstrate with the Wind Energy 2050 report that there are no basic technical barriers for wind power to contribute a large portion of the future global energy supply,” said WWEA Secretary General Stefan Gsänger. “40% wind power in 2050 is a realistic scenario, and the remaining 60% will be covered from other renewable technologies so that the world can reach a 100% renewable power supply at the latest by the middle of this century.”

The report makes a number of recommendations on how this increasing wind generation will be achieved. In particular, it acknowledges the need for flexibility in the power system, which implies a lesser capacity based on nuclear and coal and a larger capacity based on hydro or fast-response units.

“It is crucial to understand that increased penetration of wind itself is leading to transformation of the conventional electricity,” said Dr Jami Hossain, chair of the WWEA technical committee and main author of the report. “Grid will undergo changes — it will not be what it is! In this transformation many new elements will appear in the grid, such as storage systems, more transmission links, forecasting, management and control systems, power electronics, AC/DC/AC and HVDC systems and converters and smart technologies.”

The Australian Wind Alliance, a community-based advocacy group, has meanwhile used the report to call for a more ambitious and stable environment for wind power in Australia. According to the alliance’s national coordinator, Andrew Bray, “We have a Renewable Energy Target in place, but projects aren’t proceeding.

“The big three retailers need to play their part and start contracting new wind energy projects to kick off investment and jobs,” Bray continued.

“Australia has world-class wind resources that can underpin a clean and reliable wind energy sector in years to come.”

The full report can be downloaded from here.