In the early hours of November 24, wind power generation in Spain accounted for 43% of the country’s needs – setting a new record. At that point, wind power represented 9253 megawatts against a demand of 21,264 megawatts.
The previous record was set in March when 40.8% of electricity demand was met through wind according to Spain’s Wind Energy Association.
While the high level was only for a very short time and at a time of the day when most Spaniards were still asleep, it has been an encouraging event noted by the renewable energy industry as demonstrating that wind power is a viable energy alternative and may provide an emissions free solution to the majority of electricity needs in some countries sooner rather than later.
With adequate investment, wind energy could be supplying 12% of the world’s electricity needs and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 1.5 billion tonnes annually by 2020 according to a recent report from the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). According to the Council, in 2007 wind energy generated over 200 terrawatts of electricity. Installed capacity has been increasing by an average of 28% globally over the last decade and is currently in excess of 100 gigawatts.
Wind energy already currently provides on average 11% of Spain’s electricity demands according to the Spanish wind association. Last year the wind power sector in Spain negated the need for importing 6 million tonnes of fossil fuels and saved 18 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. The Association noted that the presence of wind power in Spain lowered the price of electricity by AUD $11.99 per megawatt hour during 2007.
