Politics and wind: wind on land

A decade of growth

The use of wind energy in Germany has experienced a decade of extremely dynamic growth. By the end of 2001, Germany had about 8,750 megawatts (MW) of wind power capacity in operation and had just experienced a record growth of 2,660 MW in a single year. The Hamburgische Landesbank forecasts an annual increase in onshore capacity of about 2,000 MW between 2002 and 2005. This means that capacity will increase to 15,000 MW by that time, doubling today's figure.

Wind and climate protection

Wind turbines in Germany produced about 13 terawatthours in 2001. This is equivalent to about 2.5 percent of power demand and has reduced CO₂ emissions by about 10 million tonnes or one percent of total emissions in Germany. It is foreseeable that the continuing strong growth of wind power in the coming years, including the improved utilisation of already existing onshore wind farms by, for example, enlarging facilities (repowering), will double the reduction of CO₂ emissions.

The German government has set the goal of doubling power production by all renewable energy sources by 2010. Taking 2000 as a starting point, renewable power is supposed to make up 12.5 percent of all power production by 2010; this amounts to about 67 TWh per year. Of this amount, wind power is supposed to supply about 31 TWh, or nearly half.

Onshore output saturation in a few years

It is already clear that newly installed onshore wind capacity will start to decrease in a few years. Most sites suitable for wind energy facilities will already be developed by then. To maintain the continuing expansion of the use of wind energy in Germany at a high level, suitable offshore sites must be rapidly developed - given also that additional measures will be needed to reduce CO₂ as from 2010.