Wind energy could be supplying 12 per cent of the world’s energy needs and saving 1.5 billion tonnes of CO2 a year by 2020.
The claim has been made by a coalition of wind energy companies, associations and NGOs determined to find practical solutions to climate change.
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With plans to launch a Wind Power Works campaign at the COP 14 climate meeting in December, the coalition will promote bold emissions targets and a rapid deployment of wind energy around the world in a bid to achieve the IPCC target of a decline in emissions by 2020.
Coordinated by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) the campaign will set out to remove the policy and infrastructural obstacles to the technology’s rapid deployment.
Steve Sawyer, Secretary General of GWEC, said: “The world needs an effective solution which can deliver power with emissions reductions now – that solution is wind energy. It’s already working in over 70 countries, delivering reliable energy on demand. The only thing stopping it delivering more is government inaction.
“We need to achieve the IPCC target for declining emissions or face the worse consequences of climate change. Wind power will help us achieve that.”
The campaign will engage with policy makers and governments to discuss the world’s energy needs and the role which wind power is playing in fulfilling those needs, including the potential to massively increase its contribution.
“As the global provider of efficient power solutions, we believe that wind energy can make a real difference in cutting emissions between now and 2020. What we need now is the unambiguous political will to realise this massive potential, and we call on governments match their words with action in Poznań and Copenhagen,” said Andreas Nauen, CEO of Siemens Wind Power.
The campaign will run across the world and includes a series of case studies of wind power in action to demonstrate the solutions it offers to different energy challenges.
Wind Power Works, including its website at www.windpowerworks.net goes live on December 1st.
