Do You Know? Windmill

Windmills are the most rapid energy technology development in the world. Developing a global installation capacity of 2,500 megawatts (MW) in 1992, to 40,000 MW by the end of 2003, with average growth of 30% per year.

Nearly three-quarters of the capacity of wind energy installations now in Europe. At present, this energy meets the electricity needs of 35 million European households.

Interest in wind energy is growing as some communities more aware of the need to develop clean and sustainable energy future. Eighty percent of the population, strongly support the use of renewable energy sources.

Development of alternative energy began in the 1970s during the energy crisis of the world. In Germany alone, the 1990 Electricity Supply regulation is the beginning digalakkannya wind energy. Regulation is then updated into Regulations of 2000, concerning the construction of energy that should be using renewable energy sources.

With the number of windmills of 14,000 pieces, and with a capacity of more than 12,000 MW of power, Germany is now the world's major domestic windmills. All the windmills that generate an average of 31.5 TWh of electricity per year. This amount is to meet about 5 percent of electricity needs throughout the country, and tend to increase. The government plans, use of renewable energy sources reached 12.5%, there are 2010 and even 20% in 2020.

Besides being the largest windmill producer, Germany is also a market in the world's largest windmill. Windmill production in 2004 reached half of world production, with export quota of 59%.

The use of wind as an energy source has at least two advantages.

Economically, this energy source can decimate the use of fuel oil, and create new job opportunities in the field of manufacture and maintenance of windmills, and distribution. In Germany, the wind energy industry turnover reached 4 billion euros, and is the livelihood of 60,000 people.

In the environmental field, wind energy is ideal because it produces no pollution, require no fuel, no greenhouse effect, and do not produce harmful substances and radioactive waste. Each megawatt of electricity produced by windmills, to reduce emissions of 0.8 to 0.9 tons of greenhouse gases produced by oil and coal each year. Necessary land is not too broad.

Wind is a source of potential energy in the future when traditional fossil fuels are running low, and cost reduction of environmental pollution increase.

Future energy system will be triggered by environmental issues, economic development, development, and market liberalization. And over the past two decades of development, wind energy could indicate he was one of the energy future.