A new study from Energy Watch Group "Wind Power in Context – A Clean Revolution in the Energy Sector" shows that there has been exponential growth in wind power capacity since the early 1990s. With net capacity additions of almost 20,000 megawatts in 2007 the report suggests that, contrary to IEA forecasts, growth of wind power additions will continue and that it will be driven not just by costs for fossil fuels and nuclear cost overruns, but by access to new wind resources, new grid regulations and by cheaper and better wind technology.
The author of the report, Dr. Rudolf Rechsteiner, explored the drivers behind the growth in wind power identifying sixteen key attributes that will continue to drive growth. These include a free primary energy, an infinite resource supply, global accessibility to supply, stable life cycle cost guarantee, increasing price competitiveness, zero operational carbon emissions or hazardous waste, zero requirement for cooling water, decreased payback times and fast innovation cycles.
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