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5 Powerful Facts for Global Wind Day

Union of Concerned Scientists

We at the Union of Concerned Scientists think a lot about wind power. In honor of Global Wind Day , here’s a roundup of what we’re seeing and what we’ve been thinking—five facts about wind energy to keep in mind as you celebrate, or at least make note, on June 15. Wind power is big, and getting bigger.

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Climate Policy and the Audacity of Hope

Legal Planet

Wind power costs fell by half from 2008 to 2021. Rooftop solar costs in 2020 were a third of what they had been in 2010. In 2020, the cost of single-axis utility scale solar was only a fifth of what it was in 2010. Utility-scale solar was an even more dramatic story.

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Optimal size for wind farms is revealed by computational study

Physics World

This is just one finding of a computational study on wind turbines’ effects on the airflow around them, and consequently the ability of nearby turbines – and even nearby wind farms – to extract energy from that airflow. Charles Meneveau of Johns Hopkins University in Maryland welcomes the research. “In

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France is late on its energy transition

Edouard Stenger

GW of wind capacity in September 2016, which produced 21 TWh in 2015. Wind power currently employs a little less than 15,000 people. The sector has 8,230 direct jobs (compared to a massive 32,000 in 2010-2011… or 12,000 in 2012). The target capacity for 2018 is of 15 GW. click to enlarge. click to enlarge.

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Advancing Ocean Climate Action at COP27

Ocean Conservancy

I thoroughly enjoyed moderating a panel in the Nature Zone at COP27 with representatives from the International Renewable Energy Agency and Orsted, a leader in offshore wind power production based in Denmark, focusing on the potential of offshore wind energy and how to sustainably and equitably advance its development.

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Just and Sustainable Solutions for the Mining and Recycling of Rare Earth Elements in Wind Turbines

Union of Concerned Scientists

In 2010, China was producing 95% of rare earth elements , but since 2016 has decreased rare earth element mining down to 60% of world production today. In Baotou, Inner Mongolia, 1 in 7 Baotou residents—a city of several million—has cancer. A large rare earth element waste lake is located twenty minutes from the city center.

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From Whale Oil to Wind Power: the Fossil Fuel Industry’s Disinformation Is an Ocean of Hypocrisy

Union of Concerned Scientists

Today, oil producers are spreading disinformation about offshore wind in the worst way. They are sowing distrust and doubt and wasting precious time during which we should be accelerating wind power development. Firefighters battle blazing remnants of the offshore oil rig Deepwater Horizon in April 2010. Source: U.S.