Running with wind

Yass Tribune
Friday 8/6/2007 Page: 3

Environment groups have been quick to jump on the Federal Environment Minister's statement that "You can't run a modem economy on wind farms and solar panels". One group cites Denmark's announcement that it will generate 75 per cent of its electricity needs through wind energy by 2025.

A comparison is made with Victoria shows that:

• Denmark is one fifth the size but has now installed 3200 megawatts of wind energy capacity.
• A similar density in Victoria would supply all its energy needs.
• The Danish wind industry employs 20,000 people.

Comparatively, that's more than the entire Australian coal industry employs both directly and via downstream jobs. Beyond Zero Emissions also cites Germany, which installed 12,000 megawatts of wind energy potential in only four years. By 2010 they will have 30,000 megawatts of wind energy potential, enough to generate equivalent of 40 per cent Australia's electricity needs.