World Wide Wind energy capacity grows to 100 GW

According to a post in Treehugger and the Earth Policy Institute, global energy generation from wind is growing in leaps and will very soon -estimated within a month- reach 100 GW! This considerable amount covers the needs of 150 million people!.Last year was a record year with wind power capacity increasing by 20,000 megawatts, bringing the world total to 94,100 megawatts.

Although certainly not solving global energy problems, it is a great start and holds even more promise for the future, since rates of installations are increasing in several countries. In 13 of them, generation exceeds 1 GW and growth exceeds any other type of energy, including natural gas.

EU champions are Germany, Spain and Denmark, all with almost 10% or more of total energy generation from wind. Other countries leading the installation statistics are the US, China and India. Despite all the pessimism, green energy increases are happening in the background with conventional technology. Taking into account other eco-friendly sources -especially solar- and the promise of efficiency increases, the next technological revolution will definitely have to do with energy generation.

Link: Treehugger

China's wind power to hit 10 mln kw

China's installed capacity of wind power will hit 10 million kilowatt this year, and the figure is expected to double by 2010, China?s Xinhua news agency reported.

China will develop clean energy by expanding the installed capacity of nuclear power, making it account for more than 5 percent of the national total power installed capacity by the year 2020, according to Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission Zhang Guobao.

The country's 11th five-year plan for economic and social development (2006-2010) has pledged to develop nuclear power and aims to have 40,000 megawatt of operating installed capacity by 2020.

Currently, China's operating installed capacity of nuclear power stations stands at 8,600 megawatt, Xinhua said.