Wind
Australia’s total operating wind capacity as at November 2009 was 1668MW, more than double the 824MW of capacity as at end of 2007. This wind capacity is equivalent to 4,967GWh of electricity annually.
Today, Australia has 49 wind farms with a total of 962 operating turbines.
South Australia has the largest installed capacity and represents 44 per cent of the nation’s total capacity. Another seven plants totalling 559MW are currently being constructed with the majority of these due to be commissioned in 2010.
An additional 6GW of wind energy projects are proposed all around the country, many of them having already received planning permission.
In Australia, wind technology generates enough energy to supply power to 690,000 households.
Global installed capacity at the end of 2008 was almost 121GW producing approximately 260 terrawatt hours of electricity annually. More than 27GW of capacity was installed in 2008, a 28 per cent increase on 2007, according to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) estimates that 1.5 per cent of the world’s electricity is currently generated by wind.
As of 2008 the United States was the largest user, with 25.2GW of installed capacity. The US installed 8358MW of wind power in 2008: more than five times Australia’s total capacity. One single wind farm in Texas accounts for 732MW.
Germany was the world’s next largest wind user with 23.9 GW, Spain had almost 16.8GW and China 12.2 GW. China also doubled its capacity from the end of 2007 with the installation of a huge 6300MW of capacity. 36 per cent of all new electricity generating capacity added in the European Union last year was from wind energy, exceeding all other technologies.
