Wind energy, which is the second clean energy source with the highest capacity in the world, carried its share in renewable energy to 27% with the record capacity increase last year.
The global renewable energy installed power rose to 2,800 gigawatts by the end of last year. The wind energy capacity, which increased after the search for alternative energy sources due to the supply shortage in oil production in the world in the 1970s, reached 743 gigawatts with a record capacity of approximately 100 gigawatts commissioned in 2020.
As of the end of last year, the Asian region ranked first in the world with an installed wind power of 338.6 gigawatts, followed by Europe with 218.9 gigawatts, the USA with 135.9 gigawatts, and Latin America and the Caribbean with 33.9 gigawatts. Pacific, African and Middle Eastern countries constituted the remaining part of the capacity.
The share of wind energy, which accounted for approximately 25.3% of global renewable energy capacity in 2019, increased to 27% by the end of 2020. With the increase in capacity last year, wind energy maintained its place as the second clean energy source with the highest capacity in the world after hydroelectricity.
According to data from the Global Wind Energy Association, wind power capacity is projected to reach 1,000 gigawatts before 2025, and the role of wind power in achieving net-zero emissions targets by 2050 will continue to increase.
According to the International Energy Agency’s “Zero Emissions in 2050” roadmap, 390 gigawatts of annual wind energy capacity is needed to be deployed annually for the world to achieve its net-zero emissions targets.
It is estimated that installation costs in wind energy will decrease by 49% until 2050 with the effect of technological and commercial developments.
TURKEY, THE 13TH LARGEST WIND COUNTRY IN THE WORLD
In Turkey, which has rapidly increased its renewable energy capacity in recent years, wind energy stands out as the second clean energy source with the largest capacity after hydroelectricity.
Turkey currently ranks 12th in the world and 7th in Europe in terms of wind energy capacity, while wind energy accounts for approximately 10% of the country’s total installed electricity capacity.
Ebru Arici, President of the Turkish Wind Energy Association (TUREB), told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the number of wind power plants in operation throughout Turkey reached 253 as of June 12.
Stating that the total installed power of the power plants in operation is 9,660 megawatts, Arici shared the following information:
“Our total wind energy installed capacity will reach 10 thousand megawatts in August. The number of direct and indirect employment in Turkey’s wind energy sector has increased to 25 thousand people. In addition, while capacity increase will be achieved with Renewable Energy Resource Areas (YEKA) projects, direct and indirect employment will be contributed. With the YEKA projects with a capacity of 2 thousand megawatts, our license power has reached 15 thousand 300 megawatts with the permits and the projects that are in the construction process.”
Arici noted that with the 2 thousand megawatt YEKA GES-3 competitions, whose applications are planned to be received in October, an installed power of 17 thousand 300 megawatts can be reached in the wind, and that they are focusing on the rapid commissioning of all this capacity as the sector.
OVERSEA WIND ENERGY WORKS GAINED SPEED
Murat Durak, Chairman of the Board of the Offshore Wind Energy Association (DURED), said that Turkey’s total offshore wind energy potential is at the level of 75 gigawatts.
Stating that an important stage has been reached in the works at some ports in the Marmara and Aegean Regions for the realization of the offshore wind power plant project, Durak said, “The Aegean Region, which has the largest offshore wind energy potential in Turkey, has been calculated as reaching a speed of 9 meters per second. Compared to the wind power plants built in land areas, offshore wind power plants are more costly, but this cost is balanced with high energy production.”
Source: Sabah / Translated by Irem Yildiz