Wind energy comes of age

Wind energy technology and its potential of meeting a significant part of the world's electrical energy needs, was discussed. As a sustainable energy supply, the 27,000 wind turbines operating around the globe generated more than 7 terawatt-hours of electricity in 1995, for a value in excess of half a billion dollars. The direct generation of a unit of electricity from wind or water sources offsets the combustion of three units of fossil fuel in a conventional power plant, and every kilowatt-hour produced by a wind turbine offsets the emission of 0.5 to 1 kilogram of carbon dioxide from conventional sources. Also, as reliability and productivity have improved and costs have declined, wind technology has become cost-effective. Available evidence suggests that wind energy has become a commercial power generating technology, and it continues to grow in countries where public policies place great value on wind's environmental benefits (such as Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany). 3 tabs., 2 figs